Caged 2: Ghost Runner
by MustangLover97
Summary: Sequel to Caged. Cobra Commander is back, bringing with him a new technology called Ghost Runner. With it, he plans to take his revenge on the Joes, especially Whisper, Snake Eyes, and her twin daughters. Full summary inside! Rated T just to be safe!
1. Luck

**Summary: Cobra Commander is back and he's not alone. With him, he has brought forth a new technology called Ghost Runner, which he plans to go after the Joes with, especially his "rouge" daughter Whisper and her new husband, Snake Eyes, along with their twin daughters, Sasha and Griffin. How will the twins fare when their parents suddenly disappear into thin air on a mission? And what secrets has their mother and father been keeping from them all this time?**

**Hello guys! I'm baaaack! Miss me? ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own GI Joe, but I do own the new characters and the plot**

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><p><em><strong>Prologue<strong>_

_Whisper looked at herself in the mirror, smiling happily. The creamy white dress went down to her ankles, spreading out slightly to give her some leg room. The dress didn't have any sleeves, coming up just enough to cover her breasts. Small embroidery jewels moved down the dress in a beautiful patten of fireworks. Her tanned skin shone with health and radiance, while her chocolate brown hair was pulled up into an elegant bun, two pieces hanging down on either side of her face in a ringlet. Her sterling silver eyes were bright, outlined with a smokey color of eye shadow and eyeliner, making the color all the more mysterious. All-in-all, she looked like a goddess._

_Scarlett beamed happily from behind Whisper, wearing a beautiful hazel bridesmaids dress. _

_"You look gorgeous, Whisper," she told her friend. _

_Whisper smiled again and turned to face Scarlett. Her friend and teammate had never looked as beautiful as she did right now. Her fiery red hair had been braided on the left side, coming around her head before stopping at her right shoulder and joining with the rest of her hair. Scarlett's eyes were also outlined _

_"So do you, Scarlett. Ripcord is going to pass out when he sees you," Whisper told her seriously._

_Scarlett laughed at that scenario. "I would hope not. He is keeping an eye on the twins, remember?"_

_Whisper laughed with her. "Then, I hope he passes them to Duke or Hawk before he passes out."_

_Both women laughed again. Once they had settled down, Whisper gave a nervous sigh. _

_"Well, I'm ready whenever you are," she said to Scarlett._

_Scarlett nodded and handed Whisper the bouquet of hybrid tiger lilies. The lilies were white until they reached the center. There, they were the most breathtaking shade of blue and black spots covered the petals. They matched the one that had also been tucked behind her ear, curtsey of Duke._

_Whisper took the bouquet of the precious flowers and stood steadily on her bare feet. She took one deep breath before walking out of the tent and into the warm Australian sun._

_Snake Eyes looked over at his bride to-be. He grinned happily under his mask, listening to the sounds of the drum as the tribal people danced around them and praised the spirits for the bonding of the two soldiers. Whisper stood in front of Snake Eyes, flashing him a quick smile before turning to face the tribe's new chief, Jungle Cat. Her old friend smiled down at them. He winked to Whisper before raising his arms for silence. The last two beats were played on the drums before everything and everyone was quiet. _

_"Friends and family of Whisper and Snake Eyes. We are here today to bind the souls of these two people. They have gone through hardships together and have fought together. Their offspring already stands upon this earth," Jungle Cat said, glancing over at the sleeping babes that Ripcord and Scarlett were now holding before continuing. "Let those who object to this binding or forever hold their peace."_

_No one spoke. Jungle Cat nodded his head before motioning to a small girl standing off to the side. She hurried forward with a large bowl filled with different colored paints. Jungle Cat placed his hand in the red dye before touching Whisper's forehead._

_"Let this woman be strong in mind and independence. She will be great in battle and be forever strong," Jungle Cat proclaimed before turning to Snake Eyes and placing his whole hand against the ninja's chest. "And allow her partner to be strong in heart and power. He will be great with choosing what it right for his family and will be forever truthful."_

_Then, Jungle Cat placed his hand in the blue dye and placed them in marks under Whisper's eyes. She looked up at her friend, silver eyes bright. "She will be Snake Eyes's light and will guide them all through hard times," he said before placing a yellow dot on her chest. "May happy times be forever with you both."_

_He turned to Snake Eyes and did as he had to Whisper, but instead of using yellow dye, he used black. Jungle Cat stepped back and held his hands up into the air once more._

_"Let us rejoice this happy time for husband and wife!" he cried, and Whisper pulled up Snake Eyes's mask slightly and kissed him._

_Cheers and hollers echoed all around, and Whisper smiled, pulling Snake Eyes's mask back down to cover his face. _

_"I love you," she whispered to him. _

_Snake Eyes hugged her tight before they turned and started walking back down the aisle. Drums made the ground vibrate and Whisper walked alongside Snake as the crowd threw rose petals at them. Whisper laughed with delight and even twirled in the petals. Everyone else laughed with them._

_Whisper went over to Ripcord and Scarlett, reclaiming her one month old children from them. She kissed both of their foreheads. _

_"Hey girls. You enjoy the wedding?" she asked with a chuckle. Snake Eyes took Sasha from her, holding his daughter close. _

_Griffin reached up to touch her mother's face and gave a happy gurgle. Whisper nibbled on Griffin's hand playfully, smiling. _

_"You are such a funny one," she said and looked up at Snake Eyes. This was her family. _

_A scream caught her attention and Whisper was instantly on alert. Snake Eyes handed Sasha back to her and unsheathed his katanas. Whisper moved behind her husband, clutching her daughters close. Scarlett took Griffin so that both women would be able to run if any harm would come to either child._

_There was a flash of bright white light and, once the light died down, Whisper found herself staring at her father. Her ears caught the sounds of multiple guns being cocked as Duke, Ripcord, Hawk, and many others brought out their weapons that had been hidden inside their tuxes. Whisper took a step back._

_"Well well well. I see that you are not dead, my daughter. The nanomites didn't kill you and neither did the gunshot. I am surprised, Viper. And what's this? My my, you have been busy while I was gone. Twins, my dear? And you haven't told them about me, I'm guessing. Such a shame. What are their names?" he asked casually, like crashing his daughter's wedding was a normal everyday thing._

_Whisper's good eye flashed angrily and she growled. "Don't you dare come any closer," she warned. _

_Cobra Commander chuckled in his raspy voice. "Why shouldn't I? After all, I am a grandfather who hasn't even met his grandchildren."_

_"And it'll stay that way!" Whisper shouted to him._

_CC shook his head sadly. "I was hoping that it wouldn't come down to this," he said and was gone in another flash of light._

_Whisper tensed and took a few steps back, right into her father's arms. Reacting on instinct, she kicked backwards and felt her heel smash into his knee. He howled in pain and Whisper darted forward, holding Sasha close to her chest. She stood by Snake Eyes, her eyes flashing with rage. Apparently, her father knew nothing about the bond between a mother and her child._

_CC chuckled, wincing slightly in pain. Whisper now noted the contraption that was strapped to his chest. _

_"Ah, I can see that you've seen my new friend. I call it Ghost Runner. You see, it allows me to travel, more or less, like a ghost. It rearranges my atoms to break them apart and then brings them back together in the spot that I want them. An amazing piece of technology, I might say. That's what I've been working on all this time and decided to pop by and see my precious daughter. And my grandchildren," he said._

_Whisper growled again. "You will never touch them," she told him, her voice cold. _

_"Oh, I think that I will. You see, when I injected you with the nanomites, your daughters would have been affected by it as well, should you have been pregnant with them at the time. It would make a very interesting experiment. You're daughters will be mine, Viper. They will be mine," her father promised her. _

_Whisper whipped around, grabbing a shuriken from Snake Eyes's belt. She threw it at her father, the throwing star smashing into Ghost Runner. The Cobra Commander swore angrily as Ghost Runner started to malfunction and glared up at Whisper._

_"They will be mine," he repeated before disappearing in a swirl of bright lights._

_Whisper stood shaking, watching the spot where her father had been. Snake Eyes wrapped his arms around Whisper, comforting her. Whisper pressed her face into his chest. _

_"I don't want him to take my daughters, Snake. He can't have them," she said, soft sobs causing her body to shake slightly._

_Snake Eyes rested his chin on Whisper's head. __The rest of the Alpha Team surrounded the duo._

_"He will never get them," General Hawk said. "They are Joes, just like the rest of us. No harm will come to them."_

_Whisper nodded and kissed Sasha's forehead. No harm would come to her daughters._

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><p>~<em>Twelve years later~<em>

"Come on Sasha! We've been at this for hours. Just find me already," Griffin's voice rang out.

Her twin sister growled in frustration, ready to just pull the bandana off from around her bicolored eyes.

"I know! Jeez. I still don't see how you can do this so much better than I can," Sasha grumbled.

Griffin chuckled. "Because I have to live with it a lot more than you have to, sis. Besides, once you find me, we can go eat. And I'm hungry, so please hurry it up."

Sasha started cursing under her breath and tried locking onto her sister's voice and heartbeat. She closed her eyes, as not to strain them against the darkness that the bandana brought, before slowly moving forward.

"Stop cursing," Griffin scolded. "Mom told us that we aren't allowed to curse until we're older."

Sasha rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with," she said grumpily.

"Hallelujah!" Griffen exclaimed just before her sister bowled into her.

"Found you!" she said in triumph, pulling the bandana off. Sasha smiled at her sister and helped her up. Griffin laughed and gave her sister a small hug.

"Now let's go!" Griffin urged her, turning around and jogging towards the wall.

Sasha resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Wrong way, Grif!" she called to her.

Griffin's cheeks became pink. "I knew that," she said, turning around and heading towards the door.

Sasha ran after her, heading towards the cafeteria.

Whisper sat next to Snake Eyes, munching an apple. The rest of the Alpha Team was there as well, eating their lunches. Whisper looked down when Macy lifted her head, tail tapping the floor. She smiled and five seconds later, her two daughters bursted into the cafeteria.

"Sorry we're late," Griffin said. "Sasha couldn't get the blind test down."

Sasha glared at her sister before mimicking her, "Sorry we're late. Griffin was being a pain in my ass."

Whisper raised an eyebrow. "Sasha, what have I told you about cursing?" she asked.

"We are to young to be cursing and shouldn't be cursing until we are older," Sasha said in her mother's voice.

Whisper gave a nod. "That's correct. Now, go get yourselves something to eat," she said.

Both girls gave a nod before Sasha took Griffin's hand, leading her towards the line.

Snake Eyes watched his daughters go before looking over at his wife and signing, _You know, that still gives me the creeps when she does that._

"What? Mimicking?" Whisper asked.

Snake Eyes gave a nod and Whisper laughed. "It's just a talent of hers," she said. "And Hawk said that it might come in use."

_Like prank calling Ripcord in Hawk's voice saying that he was giving him a promotion? _Snake Eyes asked.

Everyone laughed, remembering the day. The twins had been seven when they had called Ripcord and Sasha, using General Hawk's voice, told Ripcord that he was promoted, but only if he started dancing. Sasha had given herself away when she started laughing in her feminine voice as she watched Ripcord start breakdancing in the training room.

True, she had gotten in trouble, but it had given everyone a good laugh at the time. And it still did when they flashed back to it.

The team continued to look back on old memories of the twins before they came up with their food.

Sasha sat down next to her father and Griffin sat down next to her. While they ate, Whisper watched her children.

They had grown up so much in the past few years. She was still terrified of the prospect of her father getting ahold of them, pushing them past their limits in training. Snake Eyes had been training them in martial arts since they had been able to walk and they learned quickly. Though twins, they still had their differences. While both stood at a full height of 4 feet, 4 inches, had dark brown hair, and were both closely similar in their lean muscular build, Sasha had two different colored eyes. One was sterling silver, like her mother's, and the other was a chilling, icy blue, like her father's. Griffin had inherited her mother's silver eyes. But, Griffin hadn't inherited the glassiness of her eyes from anyone.

Griffin had been born blind, something Whisper thought had been caused by the nanomites. Either that or it was just something that had been meant to happen. However, her youngest daughter was able to feel vibrations in the ground and find her way around pretty easily. That and she had extraordinary hearing. When she was eight, she had been able to detect a spider crawling across the ground during a training session with Snake Eyes.

Still, that didn't stop Whisper from worrying about her daughters' safety. In fact, on their fifth birthdays, Whisper had given them both three things: a protector, a steed, and a necklace.

_And speaking of their protectors, _Whisper thought, watching as the doors opened and a large cat entered the room, bounding over to Griffin. Actually, large was too small of a term. The liger, offspring of Shaba and Eve, was roughly the size of a baby elephant, weighing just over six hundred pounds, even though she was only seven years old. Griffin had named the liger Queen, stating that "if a lion is King of the Jungle, then a liger is Queen of the Jungle".

Griffin looked over in the direction where Queen was, having felt the heavy pawsteps. She smiled.

"Queen!" she exclaimed, feeling the large head that shoved its way into her arms. Griffin kissed her head, feeling the large purrs vibrate her entire body.

A smaller, leaner form followed after Queen, approaching Sasha. Sasha, like Griffin, smiled when she saw her protector. Sasha's protector was a black wolf with a smokey grey muzzle named Shadow. Like his name suggested, Shadow was able to melt in and out of shadows at his pleasure.

Whisper was happy that her daughters had protection, but she didn't know how long it would last. They had been lucky so far, but one never knew when their luck would run out.

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><p><strong>Alright! The first chapter to Caged 2: Ghost Runner! Please R&amp;R! And I am also looking for some new Joes! Please send me a form if you would like your own Joe to appear in this story! <strong>

**Please include: name, codename, gender, age, personality, rank, history (optional), looks, and anything else you would like to include about your character.**

**Thanks! And please review!**


	2. Plans for the Future

**Sorry for the wait. Had soooo much homework and a touch of writer's block. Thanks so much for all the reviews so far and the sign ups! Enjoy. ;)**

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><p>Griffin pressed her hand against Queen's head, feeling her deep, rumbling purr as it vibrated her throughout her entire body. She listened as her sister described their training session to their parents. To her, it wasn't all that interesting, but that was probably due to the fact that she had been running the training session for her sister instead of actually being apart of it. True, it was frustrating for her at times when Sasha could see something that she couldn't or that she was still relying on her twin to help her find her way around so she wouldn't run into a wall. 'But being blind also has its perks,' Griffin thought when she felt the familiar footsteps against the ground, sneaking up behind her parents.<p>

Sasha continued to relay her training session, mostly to her father. She had seen the familiar form behind them, but pretended not to see, keeping her face expressionless as she continued to speak. She kept Shadow silent by stroking the rough-furred wolf. His tail thumped against the ground once before he was still. Even Macy, laying under the table by Whisper's feet, was silent, wanting to see how this turned out.

Snake Eyes stayed where he was, listening to Sasha talk. His daughter's progress was getting better, but she still had difficulty with not seeing and detecting things in the dark. He didn't know why, but at least she was making process on it. Then again, he had his suspicions that it was Sasha's fear of the dark that kept her from wanting to "see" in the dark. She had always woken up with nightmares late at night when she had been a little girl, screaming in fear. Every now and again, Sasha still had those nightmares, but she refused to share what they were about with anyone. He knew that Whisper thought that her father had something to do with it. She always did when something happened to the twins. But she had every right to be paranoid about the Cobra Commander. He was worried for his daughters, his family. Snake Eyes was pulled from his thoughts at Griffin cocking her head ever so slightly to the side, listening to right behind him. He shifted his feet on the ground, soon feeling the footsteps that made it vibrate. He was even more startled when his wife spoke.

"I was wondering when you would get here," Whisper said, leaning back in her seat.

She smiled triumphantly at Snake Eyes, her eyes laughing.

A husky chuckle came from right behind her, just as a warm hand rested on her shoulder.

"I knew that your daughters saw or heard me, but I wasn't expecting you too," said the voice, deep and rough with the slightest touch of an accent to it, though telling which accent it was was almost impossible.

"Dren!" Griffin and Sasha both exclaimed happily in chorus.

The mercenary smiled at the the twins.

"Hey Grif. Hey Sash. How's it going?" Dren Valentine asked them.

"Nada máis. Eu tiven unha sesión de adestramento con Sasha. Ela aínda está con medo á escuridade," Griffin told him.

Sasha glared at her sister. "Non son!" she said.

"Son tamén!" Griffin said, turning to her sister.

"Non son!"

"Son tamén!"

"Basta!" Whisper snapped. "Enough! No more arguing or you'll both go with your father to the training room and train with the other apprentices."

Both Griffin's and Sasha's mouths snapped shut. Their father's apprentices didn't care that they were his daughters. To them, they were just new punching bags. Because they were older, they could move faster than the twins could, getting more punches in than they could in seconds, forcing them to rely on defensive moves instead of offensive. It was difficult, especially with Sasha helping Griffin and fending off the rest of the apprentices herself. They knew that their time would come, but today was not that day. Nor would it be that day for the next couple of months or so, weeks being too short and years too long.

Dren chuckled, placing a hand on each of the twins' shoulders.

"Come. Let's leave the adults in peace. I have some stories that I know you are dying to hear," he said, chuckling at his own joke.

He started to steer the sisters away from the group, pausing for a few moments to talk to Whisper.

"They are in good hands with me. And I wish to speak with you later on," he said, the last part serious. Then he started off again with Griffin and Sasha, Shadow and Queen close behind.

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><p>Whisper watched as her daughter's walked off with the mercenary. She gave a small sigh of relief and turned back to Snake Eyes.<p>

"It just isn't right," she told him. "He's coming. I can just feel it, Snake. I don't want to lose them."

"_He will never get them," _Snake Eyes promised her. "_And if he does, he will pay dearly for it."_

Snake touched his chest, just below his collarbone. Whisper smiled and touched her own chest, sliding her hand under her shirt and pulling out her necklace. It was a silver, almost the exact same color as her eyes. The charm on the end was probably the strangest looking thing. It was a silver dragon with its wings slightly flared, raising over its ridged back. The dragon curled around in a circle, eating its own tail. In the center was a phoenix, the tips of its wings touching the top of the dragon. On the dragon, the words '_Vida...Morte...Renacemento..Viviremos para sempre'. _ The words meant "Life...Death...Rebirth...Forever we shall live." in Galician. She knew that Snake Eyes had a similar Ouroboros around his neck, but his was that of a snake instead of a dragon and was made from obsidian rock.

"Together forever," Whisper said softly to Snake Eyes.

"_And forever shall we be together,"_ he said to her.

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><p>Griffin and Sasha entered their training room. Their father had made it for them when they had just started training. It was their own private place to train without others staring or watching them. It was strange to see young girls, not yet even teenagers, to be able to take on and knock out fully grown men in seconds. But it also gave them a place to get away from the other Joes, a place to escape where the sisters could just be...normal. Being the daughters of the legendary Snake Eyes and granddaughters of the Cobra Commander gave them a sort of popularity, especially with the older Joes, who knew their parents personally.<p>

Sasha sat down in her corner, under her cherry blossom tree. She had been taking care of the tree since she was young. Well, young**er **at least. Shadow trotted over to her and lay down next to his mistress, sniffing at the sweet blossoms.

Griffin sat in her own little area, finding her way there from memory and the fact that it smelled like honeysuckle, moonflower, and aerangis orchid. She ran her fingers over the soft petals of the orchid, smelling it. It didn't have much of a scent right now, but she knew that at night, it would smell very good, almost like sugar. The moonflower was the same, its petals closed, but they would open at night. Queen lay down just behind Griffin, giving her a fluffy cushion to lay again. The liger purred deeply, happily. Griffin chuckled and ran her hand through Queen's thick, soft fur.

Dren sat in the center of the room, facing the twins, his strange red eyes glowing.

"So my dears, what story is it that you wish to listen to today?" he asked them, looking from Sasha to Griffin.

Sasha's silver and blue eyes sparked and she looked over at Griffin. Her twin nodded, seeming to know what was on Sasha's mind. She looked back over at Dren.

"The new one," she told him, stroking Shadow.

"I'm not surprised," Dren said with a rough chuckle. He folded his legs, falling into a meditating position, his eyes partially closed.

"Let's see, where to begin...got it!" he exclaimed before starting, his accent coming out slightly. "The year was unknown, or forgotten, in my mind. I had been sent out by your father, Snake Eyes, to find your mother's father, the Cobra Commander. You see, he had created this new technology called..."

"Ghost Runner," both twins said simultaneously.

Dren nodded. "Ghost Runner," he repeated, smiling at the twins. "How the Cobra Commander got his hands on such technology is a mystery. It is said that the masked man, Destro, helped him create Ghost Runner, what with his knowledge with weapons. Your parents saw Ghost Runner firsthand on their wedding day. He was after your mother and father's greatest treasure."

"Us?" Griffin guessed, looking over at her sister.

Again, Dren nodded. "You two. Cobra Commander was out for blood and for revenge. Your mother had escaped him twice, so he settled for making her pay the ultimate price: turning her daughters against her. Everyone has their theories about what he would have done, but I will tell you mine. My theory is that he planned on making you into Cobra soldiers. He probably planned on torturing your mother with the fact that one day she would face you two in battle and would be charged with two choices. One, being that she protect her teammates and the Joes, killing you to do so, or two, she would join Cobra to prevent hurting you. Either way, she would be crushed.

"Anyway, on with the story. The technology of Ghost Runner allows the user's atoms be...disassembled, I guess you'd say, and rearrange in a different location. Meaning teleportation. On their wedding day, he used Ghost Runner to appear. He threatened your mother that he would have you two. Snake Eyes damaged the circuits of Ghost Runner with a single shuriken. Cobra Commander managed to escape, but promised of his return. I was sent to find and kill the Cobra Commander before he could return. It was a hard and long journey. I started off going to Australia, which was where Cobra had last been seen..."

For the next couple of hours, Dren wove a tale, though most of it true, of his adventure and mission of capturing the Cobra Commander. The twins were absorbed in the story, Dren's accented voice drawing them in even deeper.

"...but even after all the time I spent chasing, fighting, and hunting Cobra, especially for their Commander, I was never able to kill him. He's still out there, plotting and laying in wait," Dren said in a low voice, ending his tale.

Griffin's glazed silver eyes were wide. She hadn't even realized that she had been leaning forward to listen to Dren until Queen nosed her hand from behind, wanting attention. Griffin leaned back, laying against the liger.

"Well, I know this: the Cobra Commander will never turn us against our family," Sasha promised, looking over at her sister, who was nodding in agreement. "Never."

Little did Sasha know that her parents had said almost the exact same thing, just a few rooms away.

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><p>Dren rejoined back up with the Joes, having left the twins to chat with themselves. He sat down across from Whisper and Snake Eyes.<p>

"Do I even have to guess what story you told them?" Whisper asked, not even looking up from cleaning her sniper rifle. She didn't want it jamming in the middle of a fight.

Dren chuckled, red eyes sparkling like rubies. "I wouldn't think so," he replied.

Whisper gave a heavy sigh, setting her rifle down. "I don't know what to do Dren. I feel like I can't keep them safe no matter how hard I try. And they're different. More than any of us know," she said tiredly, rubbing her neck.

"If you don't feel safe with them here, why don't you send them away for a while?" Dren suggested. "If they aren't here, Cobra can't take them."

"He'll be expecting that," Whisper said. "But maybe doing what he expects will-"

She cut off with a gasp, clutching at her abdomen. Snake Eyes was at her side in seconds, Ripcord, Duke, and Scarlet watching anxiously.

Whisper clenched her jaws tight as her body spasmed and twitched uncontrollably. Five minutes later, she finally regained control of her body, a light sheen of sweat coating her face.

"Another attack?" Dren asked gently.

Whisper nodded. "They've been getting more frequent. I'll probably have to ask Charlotte for another injection soon. I thought that by now, the nanomites would all be destroyed. I guess that they're adapting to the serum. Charlotte'll have to make a new one if the rest of the nanomites don't die soon," she said.

She looked up at Dren, good eye flashing. "Can you do something for me?" she asked the mercenary.

Dren gave a sharp incline of his head. "Of course. What is it that you need me to do?" he asked her.

"The Alpha Team, including Snake and myself, will be leaving for a mission in two days. We're going to Egypt to take a look at a supposed Cobra base. While we're gone, can you take the girls to Australia?" Whisper asked him.

Again, Dren nodded. "Your wish is my command," he said. "Would you like me to stay with them or rejoin you in Egypt?"

"Rejoin us, please. My father will probably be tracking your movements now that he knows you've been hired to kill him. Sasha and Griffin can stay with the villagers. They'll take care of them until we return," Whisper explained.

Dren gave a wicked smile. "Oh believe me Whisper, I would have killed that psycho for free," he said, a slight growl touching his words.

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><p><strong>Nada máis. Eu tiven unha sesión de adestramento con Sasha. Ela aínda está con medo á escuridade= Nothing much. I had a training session with Sasha. She's still afraid of the dark.<strong>

**Non son= Am not**

**Son tamén=Are too**

**Well, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! Please R&R! And thanks to HextheDaydreamer for the character Dren! **


	3. Departure

**Thanks to all of those who did review! I hope I get more for this chapter and more after that. ;) So in other words, please read and review!**

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><p>"But why can't we come with you?" Sasha asked, a pout forming on her lips. "I've always wanted to go to Egypt. I want to see the pyramids and the hieroglyphics."<p>

Whisper gave a small sigh, shoving another shirt into her bag before going back over to her open drawers, digging through them for the necessities she would need for her mission. She slipped extra ammo into her bag as well when her daughter wasn't looking.

"I have my reasons for not taking you with us, Sasha. Or your sister," Whisper told her eldest daughter.

"But WHY?" Sasha practically wailed.

"Because I said so!" Whisper snapped, whipping around to glare at Sasha, her good eye flashing dangerously so.

Sasha shrank back, not meeting her mother's gaze. Though she shared the same silver eye, no one could put as much venom into it as her mother could.

"Sorry," Sasha said meekly.

Whisper gave another sigh, bringing her daughter close and hugging her.

"No, I'm sorry. Everything is just a bit stressful right now. Things with Cobra are balanced on a thread and we don't know when they'll strike," Whisper said, kissing the top of Sasha's head. "I love you and Griffin both more than you can ever imagine. It would kill me if anything happened to you two. I know that Dren told you the story about your grandfather coming to your father and my's wedding. That wasn't a fable, Sash. It was true. And we have kept you out of the Commander's grasp so far. And that's why I'm sending you to the village. To keep you safe."

Sasha pressed close to her mother, taking in her scent of her favorite cherry blossom perfume and sweat. All the things that a mother should smell like.

"I love you, Mom," she said.

Whisper gave her daughter a tight hug. "And I love you, Daughter," she said softly and smiled, withdrawing slightly. "Now, go and help your sister pack up. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Sasha gave a quick nod before running off towards the room that she and her sister had shared since infancy.

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><p>Whisper watched her daughter head off and went back to packing. She jumped when Snake Eyes tapped her shoulder from behind.<p>

"I'm jumpy enough as it is, Snake. Do you have to sneak up on me?" she asked, turning to face him with her hands on her hips.

Snake Eyes looked confused. '_I wasn't trying to sneak up on you,' _he signed to her.

Whisper shook her head, giving a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry. I'm just...stressed out. Worried about the twins and all."

Snake ran his index finger down his wife's spine, pressing gently into her nerves, relaxing her body. She smiled at him, feeling her muscles relax and her frustration and stress slip away.

"Thanks Snake. I needed that," she said, resting her head on his chest.

Snake smiled, wrapping his arms around Whisper's waist, nuzzling her neck.

Whisper chuckled, swaying slightly. "I love you," she said softly.

'_And I you,' _he signed to her.

* * *

><p>Sasha found Griffin in their room, feeling the materials of her clothing before placing it neatly into her bag. Queen was laying on the floor, too big to be laying on the bed. Her own protector was laying on her bed, dozing peacefully. Sasha chuckled and flicked Shadow's ear. The large wolf gave a playful growl, nipping her fingers. Sasha laughed and sat down on the edge of the bed, watching Griffin.<p>

Griffin took another piece of clothing, feeling the material. Cotton. So, it had to be a shirt. "What color is this shirt?" she suddenly asked Sasha.

Sasha bit her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing. "Umm, I'm sorry to break this to you Grif, but those are your underwear."

Griffin felt her cheeks heat up, rolling the underwear through her fingers. "Knew I should have felt it the rest of the way," she grumbled, throwing the underwear aside.

"Need some help?" Sasha offered, knowing how stubborn her twin was. She would never admit to needing help, even if she did need it.

Griffin gave a relieved nod. "Please."

And so for the next couple of hours, the twins packed and got ready for their trip to the Australian village.

* * *

><p>Once packed, Sasha and Griffin left their bags by the jet before heading towards the makeshift stables in the underground headquarters. The stables had been made when their mother had first come back into the Joes, when she had had her four horses brought in. Sadly, her eldest horse, Marble, had passed away a couple years ago, leaving her with three. But there was a happy moment out of it. Two new horses had joined the small herd. The twins' steeds.<p>

Griffin allowed Queen to lead her towards her steed, a large dark brown stallion. Griffin smiled when she heard her steed nickering to her. She suddenly found his head on her chest and she chuckled.

"Hey Sparrow. How's it going buddy?" she asked gently, rubbing where she knew his perfectly formed star was. Sparrow nuzzled her chest again, still nickering to her.

Sasha smiled upon seeing her sister with her stallion before it got even wider when she saw her own steed.

"Peace!" she exclaimed, jogging over to the Overo chestnut paint mare. Peace, like Sparrow, nuzzled her mistress' chest, nickering happily.

"Well, good to know that they still like you," Whisper teased, standing over to the side. Nightlock stood behind her, eyes bright and curious as always.

Sasha turned in sync with her sister, looking towards their mother.

"Of course they still LOVE us," Griffin said, a smile playing at her lips. "Why wouldn't they?"

"Because you haven't been down here in about a week," Whisper pointed out.

"That's not true!" Sasha protested. "I was here two days ago!"

Whisper chuckled. "I was just playing with you Sasha. You need to lighten up a bit."

Sasha didn't reply, just turned her head slightly, pressing her forehead against Peace's.

Whisper gave a small sigh and went over to Sasha, placing her hands on her shoulders. "I know, I know. I'm the one that needs to lighten up, huh?" she asked quietly.

Her eldest daughter didn't bother with lying and nodded slightly. Whisper hugged Sasha, kissing her cheek. "I still love you and your sister. I just don't want you to be i-"

Sasha cut her off. "In any danger. I know, Mom, but it's our fight, too! The Commander wants us, not you, not Dad, not anyone, but Griffin and me. So why won't you let us help?" she asked, her emotions just flowing out.

Whisper turned Sasha around to have her facing her. Sasha was startled to see tears in her mother's eyes. She had never seen her mom cry before.

"I will let you help, Sash. But not until you're older. If he got his hands on you now..." She didn't want to complete the sentence, a single tear rolling down her cheek. A pair of arms wrapped around Whisper and she turned to see Griffin embracing her. Whisper knelt and hugged her youngest daughter back before pulling Sasha in with them. They stayed like that for a good five minutes, not leaving much unsaid between them.

"I love you both more than my own life," Whisper said softly, breaking the silence. "I would die for the two of you. And until you are older, the rest of the Joes and I will take care of Cobra. You are too young to experience the bloodshed that we have in our lives. Just promise me...that you two will stay together and trust each other no matter what."

"We promise," the twins said in sync, their voices muffled by Whisper's shirt. Sasha squeezed her mom tight, feeling the hilt of a hidden dagger dig into her ribcage.

Whisper reluctantly withdrew from her daughters' embrace and touched the necklace hidden under her shirt. "Remember what we have taught you. Jungle Cat will be waiting for you once you land," she told them.

Griffin nodded. "We will, Mom."

Sasha also nodded her agreement. She touched the necklace that was also hidden under her own shirt. She could feel the shape of the teardrop gem in its silver casing and could visualize the pure violet color and the barely visible blue gem in the center. Feeling her necklace, she looked over at Griffin, noting that her sister also had her hand at her throat.

Griffin felt Sasha's eyes on her and she looked over at where she knew her sister was standing. She gave her a small smile and visualized the colors Sasha had described to her so long ago. She had said that it was the purest blue that could ever be found on earth, in the shape of a teardrop, identical to the ones that ran down her face when she cried. Sasha had also added that there was a bead of violet coloring in the center, almost completely invisible unless you knew what you were looking for. Griffin smiled at the memory before touching Whisper's shoulder, getting a quick feel for where she was.

Whisper looked at her daughters again, having the strange, sudden overwhelming feeling that she wouldn't be seeing them for a long time. And that feeling scared her, but she refused to show it to them. Instead, she stood up.

"Come. We need to finish getting everything packed and on board," Whisper said gently.

* * *

><p>An hour and a half later, everything and everyone was on their respected planes. Well, almost everyone. Snake Eyes had stopped his daughters just before they boarded their plane with Dren.<p>

'_I want to give you both something. Jungle Cat agreed that he would help you train with them,'_ their father signed to them.

Sasha leaned forward slightly, bicolored eyes swirling with excitement, as she quickly told Griffin what their father had told them. "What is it?" she asked. Griffin was just as excited now, her blind gaze on her father.

Snake Eyes' shoulders shook with a silent chuckle. He handed Sasha a long package wrapped in papyrus. Sasha took it from him and pulled the string that held the bundle together. She caught the flash of polished yew wood and her jaw dropped open. She looked up at Snake Eyes.

"You're serious?" she asked in awe. Her father gave a single nod, smiling under his mask at his daughter.

Sasha quickly undid the rest of the paper from her new bow, running her hand along the smooth wood. The coloring on it made it look ancient, though she knew that it was new and freshly made. The wood was the color of dark umber and wenge, almost black it was so dark, while giving it the ancient, smokey look that she loved instantly. She felt, more than saw, the ridges of swirled designs etched into the wood. And when she smiled when she traced the Japanese symbols in the wood. They spelled out her name. Not her given name, but the one that the Joes had given her as a codename.

バンシー. _Banshee. _

Tears in her eyes at the beautiful gift, Sasha hugged her father before withdrawing so that Griffin could receive her own gift.

Snake Eyes touched his youngest daughter's hands and pressed a package into her hands. Griffin felt it over and found the string. She pulled it and carefully removed the contents from the paper. She gently felt it, and like Sasha, her jaw fell agape. What she was feeling was a beautifully made Japanese dirk. She could feel Sasha's eyes on it, ready to describe what she could for her sister. A wave of annoyance and frustration flashed over her. She hated how much she had depend on others to tell her things. She couldn't even see her own father signing to her unless she felt the signs he was making. Almost ashamedly, Griffin looked over at Sasha for a description, still fingering the dagger and the designs on the hilt and blade.

"It's beautiful Griffin," Sasha said. "The hilt is made of gold with silver braided into it. The designs are similar to the ones on my bow. The blade is made of..." She paused and frowned, looking over at her father upon seeing the strange black blade. Her eyes widened slightly when she got Snake Eyes' response.

"Dad says that the blade is made from meteor rock that Hawk had found years ago," Sasha informed her twin. "The shape is similar to that of a hachiwara, but with a broader blade and its more balanced, so that it can be thrown and can block a sword strike. And it's strong enough to block a bullet."

Griffin's own silver eyes widened as she continued to feel the blade, finally finding her own codename carved into the black meteoric blade.

ワルキューレ. _Valkyrie._

Snake Eyes pressed another object into Griffin's hand. She felt the two sheaths, noting the firsts soft, leathery texture, the outside seemingly make of fleece.

'_A hidden sheath,'_ Griffin thought before feeling the other sheath, which was solid and had more carvings on it, similar to the ones on the hilt of the dirk. She gave a slight nod, knowing that this sheath was for show, the one she would wear outside by her hip.

Griffin placed the sheath on its proper place around her hip before placing her new weapon into it. She moved to where she could hear her father's heartbeat and gave him a hug.

"Thank you, Dad," she said. Snake Eyes was startled at first before he hugged his daughter back.

Whisper watched from her place by the doorway of the jet she and Joes would be taking to get to Egypt. Her usual black military outfit had been changed for a looser, dusty, sandy colored outfit, one that still had hidden weapons and would still allow her to fight and blend in with her environment. She smiled softly at the sight of seeing her family being close. That she valued most of all. With her family as screwed up as it was, it was amazing to see the family that she now had as it should be. Together.

Snake Eyes knelt in front of Griffin and Sasha, pressing his forehead against both of theirs. And like that they stood for a few minutes before the warning bell sounded that the planes were about to take off.

With an audible sigh, Snake Eyes released his daughters reluctantly. He lifted his mask slightly and kissed them both on the forehead before lowering his mask and heading over to Whisper. He turned to watch the twins, while wrapped an arm around his wife's waist. Whisper held her ground while the plane took off, waiting until the pilot warned them that they needed to shut the hatch. Reluctantly, she moved away from the edge and her view of her daughters was cut off. A shuttering sigh moved through Whisper's body and she went to go take her seat with Snake Eyes and the rest of the Alpha Team.

"They'll be fine, Whisper," Ripcord said. "Jungle Cat's always been a good friend to us and he loves you like a sister. He'll treat them like his own."

Whisper gave a nod, knowing what he said was true.

"I know Rip, but that doesn't keep me from worrying about them," she said.

Duke touched Whisper's shoulder. "They'll be fine," he assured her, while both Scarlet and Ripcord nodded their agreement.

"I pray that you will be right," Whisper said softly and turned her head to look out the window of the plane, watching the ground beneath them flash by.

* * *

><p>Sasha watched as her parents left and gave her sister a quick hug. "Come on. Let's go and find Dren before our plane leaves without us," she said, placing her bow across her shoulders.<p>

Griffin nodded slightly, touching the hilt of her dirk, before following the almost silent footsteps of her sister.

Sasha knew that her father must have had a reason to not give her a quiver or arrows to go with the bow. He had said that Jungle Cat was going to teach them how to use their new weapons. Maybe that meant he was going to have her make her own arrows. Her eyes bright and happy about the idea of creating a weapon of her own, she lengthened her stride, wanting to get to Australia as soon as possible.

Griffin gave a slight noise of protest before jogging to catch up with Sasha, still listening for her footsteps. Finally, she picked up the sound of another heartbeat.

'_Dren_,' she thought and paused before carefully picking her way up the ramp and into the belly of the plane.

Sasha quietly waited until Griffin had joined her before both twins were lead to their seats, Dren sitting across from them. And Sasha took one last glance at the Joes headquarters before the ramp was closed and they were off, on their way to Australia, where their lives were about to change forever.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, sorry for the wait, but I hope that the length will make up for it. ;) Please please please review! Thanks! And hope that you guys enjoy it!<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own G.I. Joe. However, I do own all other OC characters and plot. (except for Dren, who belongs to HextheDaydreamer.)**


	4. Looking for the Twins

**I am really sorry for the long wait guys. School and all, but I'm back now! Hope you guys like it! Please R&R!**

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><p>The flight to Australia was actually quite short, and the only thing unlikable about it was that the air turbulences were really bad. A storm had started brewing and it wasn't making the flight any more comfortable.<p>

Griffin jumped as another rumble of thunder made the plane vibrate. Sasha was calm until lightning appeared shortly after.

"I hate storms," Sasha growled, moving closer to her sister.

Griffin nodded in agreement, fingering her necklace. Dren gave the sisters a sympathetic look.

"Don't worry. We're almost there," he promised them, looking out the plane window.

Sasha gave a slight nod and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She looked over at Griffin. "Meditate with me?" she asked.

Griffin immediately nodded and slid out of her seat and onto the floor. Sasha did the same, sitting across from her sister and taking her hands. Griffin smiled slightly and gave Sasha's hands a quick squeeze before taking a deep breath. Sasha followed suit, closing her eyes. After a few minutes, the twins were breathing as one, motionless. Dren was fascinated as he watched, as Sasha followed Griffin. Or was it Griffin following Sasha? He shrugged and continued to watch.

As they meditated, the jet started to land, surprisingly smooth despite the storm raging outside. Sasha took one last deep breath and opened her bicolored eyes. Instinctively, Griffin did the same, sensing that they were no longer on the ground. They stayed on the ground until the pilot, who was also another Joe, informed them that they had landed and could get off the jet. Dren handed Griffin her bags while Sasha grabbed her own. She tried to surprise the giddy smile that touched her lips when she picked up her new bow, but to no avail. She was getting giddy just thinking about using it. True, a gun was better than a bow in combat, but the bow was a gift from her father, and Snake Eyes didn't give gifts unless they were for a reason. And for him to give them each a weapon, he must have had a very good reason indeed.

Sasha stood by the doorway, ready to get off the jet and back onto solid ground. A faint neigh, carried by the wind, reached her ears. She smiled again, recognizing Peace's neigh.

"Hurry up Grif!" she called over her shoulder to her sister.

"I'm coming!" Griffin hollered back, jogging over to Sasha, Dren close behind.

Sasha went down the stairs first to allow Griffin to hear the faint echo of her tennis shoes on the metal, giving her a sense of where the stairs were and how many of them there were. Once Sasha reached the ground, she ran over to where their animals were being unloaded, which was closer to the back of the plane.

"Shadow!" Sasha exclaimed, seeing the familiar black and grey wolf. Shadow ran over to his mistress, rubbing himself against her legs and licking her hands. Sasha smiled and went over to get Peace as well. The mare was used to being on a plane (or a jet for that matter), but that didn't mean she had to like it. Her ears were pinned at the Joe that was leading her out, nostrils flared. She was prancing and snorting, the storm not making anything any easier. But once Sasha touched Peace's shoulder, she was immediately calm, lowering her head so that she could stroke her. She chuckled and did as she requested, looking over her shoulder at Griffin, who was saying her 'hellos' to Queen. The liger was purring so loud that even Sasha could feel the vibrations.

Griffin ran a hand through Queen's thick fur, smiling happily. She allowed her to lead her towards Sparrow, who was having about the same troubles as Peace had. Dren stood just behind them, getting his own mount, a beautiful stallion named Comet. He was the color of the wheat, a perfect buckskin, with dark markings on his legs that looked like tiger stripes. Dren quickly tacked Comet up and mounted, his only other baggage being a large backpack.

"Come on, girls. I don't want to be waiting here all day," Dren told them. "And especially not in a storm."

Sasha and Griffin giggled before tacking up their own horses and mounting up, Sasha helping Griffin every now and again when she needed it. The Joes that had brought them to Australia tacked up another horse that had been brought to use as a pack pony, since they wouldn't be spotting to rest anywhere else besides the village.

While they waited, Sasha talked with Griffin.

"I've been getting this really weird feeling that something's wrong," she said.

Griffin frowned slightly. "Wrong where?" she asked. "Or wrong with what?"

Sasha shrugged. "That's the thing. I don't know. I just feel like something's not right."

As the twins mulled things over, Dren trotted over. "Well, we're all set. So, let's get a move on before that storm breaks," Dren told them, urging Comet into a gallop, pulling the pack pony along behind him.

Sasha and Griffin galloped after him, Sasha keeping an eye on the storm overhead.

* * *

><p>"Alright. Yeah...thanks Dren. Keep in touch," Whisper said over the phone before hanging up and slipping her cell back into her pocket.<p>

_'They just arrive?' _Snake Eyes asked her.

Whisper nodded. "Yeah. They're heading towards the village now," she told him.

Snake knew that something was bothering his wife and he touched her shoulder. '_Something wrong?'_

Whisper started to shake her head before nodding, knowing that there was no use in lying. "I'm not sure. Dren told me that he overheard the twins talking. Sasha was saying that she felt like something was wrong. She doesn't know where or what, only that something isn't right," she told him.

Snake was still for a few moments before answering. '_What do you think it might be?'_

"I don't know, Snake. But I don't like it. Sasha having a bad feeling about something? That doesn't exactly help my nerves at the moment," Whisper admitted.

'_They will be fine,'_ Snake Eyes told her. '_Dren is with them and they are heading into the village as we speak.'_

Whisper's shoulders rose and sagged as she gave a deep breath and released it. "I know," she said after a few moments of silence. She opened her mouth to say something else, but the sound of a vibrating phone stopped her. She looked over at Duke.

Duke shifted his weight in the seat, reaching into his pocket to take out the phone. "Hello?" An urgent voice, not Hawk's, came from the other end. After about ten seconds, Duke's face visibly paled, his hands shaking slightly.

Whisper felt like she was going to be sick, holding her stomach with one hand and grasping Snake's with the other.

"Understood. Any one else injured?" Duke asked, fighting to keep his voice steady. More of the urgent voice.

Bile rose into the back of Whisper's throat and she swallowed, hard. Snake rested his free hand on her shoulder, though she could feel his agitation rolling off of him in waves, mixing with her own agitation and fear. Only two things were going through her mind at the moment: _What has my father done now? Has he hurt my family?_

The handful of minutes that Duke was on the phone for turned into hours before he finally hung up, looking at each anxious face that was watching him.

"The Pit was just attacked by Cobra," Duke told them, his voice strained. "At least twelve are dead and many more injured." He looked straight at Whisper. "The Cobra Commander was there, too. He kept asking 'Where are they? Where has she hidden them?'"

Whisper shot up from her seat, running towards the bathroom that was in the jet. She barely made it before her stomach heaved over and over again, spilling what had been in her stomach into the toilet. Cool hands touched her clammy neck.

"It's ok, Whisper. He didn't get them. They're safe," came Scarlett's soothing voice.

Whisper leaned back into her friend's arms, relieved tears running down her face. The two women stayed that way for a long time, enbracing each other as they sought to figure things out.

As the women had their private moment, Snake Eyes was barely holding in his fury. Only years of training and disipline kept him from running up to the pilot and forcing him to change the course of their flight to Australia, so that he could see his daughters and protect his family. Looks like Sasha's bad feeling was right.

* * *

><p>The trio were about midway to the village camp when Dren got the call. Like the others, he was shocked at the news. The Pit had been attacked. Sasha and Griffin pulled their horses to a stop, Sasha turning in her saddle to look over at Dren.<p>

"What's up?" she asked, curiosity in her eyes.

Quickly, Dren explained what had happened to the twins, though left out the part that the Cobra Commander had been looking for them at the Pit. Two sets of eyes widened in disbelief.

"What do we do?" Sasha asked. Griffin nodded in agreement. It was horrible, knowing that the people they had grown up with were in trouble.

Dren shook his head. "We do diddly-squat. There's nothing we can do," he told them, angrily running a hand through his shaggy hair.

"We can-" Griffin started, but Dren interrupted her.

"We're not going back," Dren told her, knowing that that's what had probably been about to come out of her mouth.

Griffin's shoulders sagged and she lowered her sightless gaze to Peace's mane, intertwining her fingers into the silky hair.

Sasha moved closer to Griffin, close enough to touch her sister's shoulder. Some kind of communication seemed to go on between them and Griffin nodded slightly.

Dren watched, a puzzled look on his face. 'I am never going to understand twins,' he thought.

Sasha looked back over at Dren. "We better hurry then. We still have a storm to outrun," she reminded the mercenary. She gave a small smile before wheeling Peace around and tapping her heels into her sides. The stallion took off, Griffin's stallion hot on her heels.

Dren rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue to his own horse and the packhorse, following after the sisters.

* * *

><p>Within the hour, they finally arrived at the camp. Jungle Cat was there to meet them, a broad smile on his face.<p>

"Well isn't it my favorite godchildren," he said, his voice carrying clearly over the high winds of the plains.

"Jungle Cat!" the twins cried in unison. They dismounted, Sasha making sure Griffin was safely on the ground first, and ran to their godfather. The large Australian man hugged them, still smiling.

"It has been too long, my dears," Jungle Cat told them. "I have missed you greatly. Hello Dren."

Dren smiled, dismounting out of curtesy. "Jungle Cat," he greeted.

Jungle Cat looked over both girls. "My you two have grown!" he exclaimed. "You're almost as tall as Quick Breeze."

Quick Breeze was Jungle Cat's nephew, and a close friend of the twins. Sasha giggled.

"We are not," she said. "Quick Breeze is as thin as a twig and as tall as one, too."

Jungle Cat laughed. "You have your mother's tongue, Wolf Eyes."

Sasha smiled when Jungle Cat used his pet name for her. "That's what everyone says," she giggled.

Griffin rolled her sightless eyes, giving her sister's bicep a playful punch. Sasha turned her bicolored eyes to look at Griffin, pouting.

"It's true," Sasha protested.

Now it was Griffin's turn to giggle, and within moments, the sisters were giggling with each other at some private twin joke.

Jungle Cat raised an eyebrow and looked over at Dren for answers, but only received a shrug in response. Once the giggles had died down, Dren spoke.

"I have to get going now, sweethearts," he told them. "Your mother wishes for me to join her and the rest of the team."

In sync, three silver and one blue eye landed on Dren. Sasha frowned slightly. Things must not have been that bad if her mother wanted Dren to join her in Egypt. Either that or things were worse in Egypt then she thought if Dren had to join up with them. Dren saw the frown on Sasha's face and went to reassure her.

"It's alright, Sash. Your mother just doesn't want Cobra to know that I've been here, especially after he attacked the Pit. We know he's looking for you. But don't worry. I would bet my life that Jungle Cat and the rest of the village will look after you to the best of their abilities," Dren said.

Jungle Cat nodded. "What he says is true. I wouldn't neglect my own godchildren," he said with a warm smile.

Dren gave them a reassuring smile. "You're in safe hands," he promised. "And I must get going. Hopefully I can beat the storm back as well." He winked at them and got back onto Comet, leaving the packhorse with the villagers. "Stay safe." And then, just like that, he was gone, just a streak in the endless plains.

Jungle Cat watched Dren go before resting a hand on Griffin's and Sasha's shoulders. "Come, Wolf Eyes, Flying Fox. We have much to catch up on," he said, leading them deeper into the village.


	5. Hardships Ahead

**Ok, reason for not posting as quickly is A) I've had a touch of writers block and B) I've had no motivation. Only two reviews peoples! I need motivation! Anyway, hope you enjoy and PLEASE review!**

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><p>Sasha and Griffin sat next to each other in Jungle Cat's hut, eating a hearty meal of a stew made with rabbit, homemade gravy, and rice. Sasha would look up every now and again to check things out, an instinct she had picked up from her mother, before lowering her head again to take another bite of stew. Jungle Cat gave a small smile, noticing the habit. He was the one who had taught it to Whisper when she had lived with the tribe.<p>

"So, what is it you wanted to talk to us about, Jungle Cat?" Sasha asked once she was full from her stew, breaking the comfortable silence that had surrounded them earlier as she set the mostly empty bowl next to her.

"I, of course, know that your father gave you new weapons for this journey. To you, Wolf Eyes, the bow, and to Flying Fox, the knife. Both every important weapons to this tribe. Especially your knife Flying Fox. The blade is very special. You are very lucky to have such a knife," Jungle Cat said, giving Griffin a fond smile.

Griffin felt her cheeks grow warm, absently touching the hilt of her new knife. She loved it when Jungle Cat called her Flying Fox. The name was special to her. The flying fox was a giant fruit bat with a foxlike face. It wasn't meant to be insulting, but she was named after the beautiful creature because of its excellent eyesight and sense of smell. Though her eyesight was nonexistent, it was instead a metaphor for her differences. The flying fox didn't use echolocation like other bats and didn't eat insects, instead feeding on nectar, blossoms, pollen, and fruit.

"Thank you, Jungle Cat. It means much to me already," Griffin told him truthfully. Jungle Cat smiled again and looked over at Sasha.

"And you, Wolf Eyes, have a lovely bow yourself. Handcrafted by the looks of it and very sturdy. I wouldn't be surprised if your father put in a few surprises into the piece of weaponry," Jungle Cat told her, a sly glint in his eyes. One that Sasha recognized all to easily.

"What is it?" she asked excitedly. "What did Snake Eyes do with the bow?"

Jungle Cat just chuckled, holding his index finger against his lips. "I am not allowed to say. You will find what you need when the time is right."

Sasha stuck out her lower lip, her form of pouting. "No fair," she grumbled, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Don't worry, Wolf Eyes. Knowing you, you will find what you need quicker than your father expected," Jungle Cat promised her.

At that, Sasha had to smile, dropping her arms to her lap. Like her sister, her tribal name was special to her. Jungle Cat had given the name to her once he had seen her different colored eyes, especially the silver one. 'A wolf's eye,' he had told her when she had asked him about it. 'Wolves see in light shades of grays and blacks. A yellow eye to us, is silver to them.' Those words would forever stick with her, especially since her own protector was a wolf himself. Shadow, having a feeling that he was being thought about, leaned against Sasha's leg, giving her a sly look of his own. Chuckling, Sasha took a chunk of rabbit from what was left of her stew and gave it to the large black and gray wolf, giving him an affectionate rub of his ears.

"Will you be training us with our weapons, Jungle Cat?" It was Griffin who asked the question this time, instead of her sister's runaway mouth.

Jungle Cat nodded. "I shall be. And we will start at dawn tomorrow morning. Until then, I know that there is someone who has anxiously been awaiting your arrival." And with that, Jungle Cat rose, going over to the entrance of his hut and opening the door suddenly. A twig thin boy tumbled into the hut, like he had been pressing his ear against the door, which wouldn't surprise his uncle. Quick Breeze was always eavesdropping.

"I was wondering when you would join us Quick Breeze," Griffin said calmly. She had heard him outside ages ago. "You're not as quiet as you think you are. Try controlling your breathing next time and keeping to quieter ground. You made as much noise as a trotting horse."

Quick Breeze rolled his obsidian black eyes, getting to his feet. He was tall, taller than the twins had last remembered him being, overtaking them by several inches. His hair was long and shaggy and jet black, ending at the nape of his neck and curling slightly against it. Like the rest of the villagers, his skin was tanned, the color of maple syrup, from being constantly in the sunlight. Lean muscles flexed in his legs and arms, probably from the constant running he did from village to village as the messenger boy.

"Stop showing off, Flying Fox," Quick Breeze said. "I know that you only heard me because of that super-hearing you have going on."

Griffin chuckled. "Either that or you're trying to cover up how badly your attempt to eavesdrop was," she replied innocently.

Sasha chuckled with her sister. "Sorry, Breeze, but you know that you won't win this battle. Not against my sister."

Quick Breeze threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "Fine! Whatever! Say what you want! But I know the truth." He gave a little pout as he brought his hands back down by his sides. He managed the pout for a full three seconds before he burst out laughing with the twins.

Jungle Cat rolled his eyes. "Come on, you three. Out of my hut and go find the others. They'll find you somewhere to stay while you are here," he told Sasha and Griffin.

Sasha gave a small nod and tugged her sister's arm towards her as she exited the hut after Quick Breeze.

* * *

><p>"Do you think their in Australia already?" Whisper asked Snake eyes, anxiously twining her fingers together. Snake took her hands into his own, untwining them.<p>

'_You know that they'll be fine, my heart. They are strong young ladies and they have Jungle Cat looking out for them. You shouldn't be worrying so much,'_ he signed to her.

Whisper gave a heavy sigh. "I know, I know," she told him tiredly. Unlike all the other trips and missions she had been on with the Alpha team, this one was becoming very stressful to her, which wasn't surprising with all that was happening.

Duke jumped when his phone went off and he quickly answered it. Whisper looked over, catching snippets of the conversation.

"Hello? Hey...alright, thanks for letting us know...yeah, I can tell her...we'll be landing in about five minutes...ok, we'll see you in a few hours...thanks again...bye."

Duke hung up and looked over at Whisper. "That was Dren. The girls are with the villagers. He said that he personally saw that they were with Jungle Cat before leaving to go back to the plane. And he's on his way to meet us in Egypt," the blonde-haired soldier told the anxious mother.

Whisper sighed in relief. "Thank God," she said, mostly to herself. Snake Eyes took her hands again, giving them a quick squeeze.

'_I told you that they would be fine,'_ he told her.

Whisper gave him a gentle punch in the shoulder. "Well sorry that I'm such an over-protective mother with a psychotic father," she said, a touch of sarcasm touching her words. She had a feeling that her husband was rolling his eyes behind his mask.

Fifteen minutes later, they had landed in Egypt and everything had been unloaded. Whisper gently stroked Bonita's fur, the large grizzly giving her a comforting nuzzle against her legs. Macy laid down next to Whisper, stretching her paws out in front of her and panting lightly. Whisper was wondering if she should have left Macy on the jet. The poor girl was over twelve years old, old for even a German Shepherd. It was only too easy to tell that she had arthritis in her hips, due to the fact she took forever to stand up after she had been sitting or laying down for a prolonged period of time and she moved stiffly when she walked, and the fur around her muzzle and ears was white. Then again, Whisper reasoned to herself, Macy would have given a fit had she been left on the jet.

Shaba stood next to Snake Eyes, lazily flicking his golden brown ears. Snake absently ran his gloved hand through Shaba's thick, brown mane, taking in the surrounding area. They had landed close to the Nile River, though far enough that they wouldn't be detected. The plan was to enter the riverside village as unnoticeable as they could. Though entering a village with a grizzly bear, a male lion, an aging German Shepherd, and armed soldiers made it kind of hard to do just a thing. But they had to get into the village and they had to find Cobra and what they were up to.

Shouldn't be too hard right?

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><p><strong>Yes, it's short, but I promise that the next chapter will be filled with suspense and things that you will love! If only I get enough reviews first (PLEASE!), then the next chapter will be up before you know it. Please review so that my motivation is there! Thanks! <strong>

**ML**


	6. Losing a Friend

**Hope this chapter appeases you guys. Only one review last chapter. Makes me really sad guys! I need motivation and I know people read it. Please review or I may just end up discontinuing this story and I really don't want to. PLEASE REVIEW!**

**And it's an action scene, so I hope it'll get your attention!**

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><p>Whisper knew that something was off as soon as they entered the town. During this time of day, in the cooling evening, the shops and concessions would have been packed. But there was no one. Not a soul in sight. She cast her good eye down to look at Macy and see if she could scent anything. The German Shepard just gave a soft growl, picking up on the tension from her mistress and the others. Still uneasy, Whisper withdrew her sniper rifle from her shoulders, holding it in front of her. The rest of the Alpha team did the same. Snake Eyes was no where to be seen, but that didn't worry his wife. She was used to him being in hiding. Already she had the familiar feeling of comforting eyes on her. Snake was watching, of that she had no doubt.<p>

Bonita came up on Whisper's blind side, making sure to bump Whisper's elbow so that she would know that the grizzly was there. Whisper gave a small smile before the grim tension took over once more. She paused in her quick scanning to look over at the others.

"Spread out and search. Keep in sight of at least one other team member," she said, her voice instinctively quiet.

Duke gave a nod of agreement and started off towards the left while Scarlet and Ripcord took the right. Whisper took point, poking into the small huts on the sides of the road. A small breeze ruffled the rich brown and red sand around her boots as she walked forward. It only took ten minutes of searching before the first body was found. A man, native to the area by the looks of him, laid flat on his back with bullet holes riddling his torso. Blood soaked into the ground and flies buzzed around the corpse in the stifling heat.

Whisper knelt to see if there was any identification on the man, but found none. She started to rise again when Macy gave a menacing growl. She instantly froze, every muscle ridged and tense. Bonita picked up on the growling, rearing up onto her hind legs. Now standing at over six feet tall, she was an intimidating sight. As Macy continued to growl, Whisper moved her hand over to her radio and pressed the distress button on the side. Her soldier mind ran through possibilities. Should she try and run for cover or stay where she was? Should she wait for her team or run before they got there so they wouldn't get hurt? These thoughts ran through her mind in two seconds tops and her choice was made. She looked over at Macy and gave a whispered command, raising her voice just enough so that Bonita could hear as well. Once that was done, she bunched her legs up under her.

Two more seconds passed and she leapt to her feet and bolted towards the nearest building. Gunshots instantly rang through the air and she felt dirt splatter up against her back from the impact the bullets made on the sandy ground. She dove through the entry way, her breathing spiking as adrenaline and fear flooded her system. Macy and Bonita were nowhere to be found, having gone to hiding places of their own. Now out of sight, Whisper took her radio and tried to decipher the conglomerate of voices that poured through it.

"Whisper! Are you hurt?"

"Where those gunshots?"

"Is anyone hurt?"

"Where are you?"

"Are you hit, Whisper?"

Whisper blasted her own radio with static to get the others to shut up so she could think and talk.

"I'm fine, not hurt. I'm in one of the buildings about two minutes to your right. Didn't see the shooters. Come ASAP," she panted into the radio, trying to do her best to control her breathing. She closed her eyes for a few moments, taking deep breaths.

Seconds merged into minutes, and Whisper was still waiting. The radio had gone silent for now, though clicks of Morse code would flicker on every two minutes or so, making sure that she was all right. While she waited, she thought about her daughters. She hoped that Jungle Cat would watch over them well. She touched the faint paw print tattoo on the back of her neck, hidden by her long, dark brown hair. She smiled softly before more gunshots were heard from outside.

Her memory moment gone, Whisper brought her gun up close to her chest, daring herself to take a quick peek outside. No one was in sight. She withdrew her head, not wanting to be an open target any longer than she had to. A sudden thought entered her head, and it chilled her to the bone.

If the men outside had wanted her dead, they would have sent in a grenade or an advance team or something to flush her out. Which led her to believe that these men didn't want her dead. Dots connected to dots and, bingo, an answer was formed.

Her father was here.

Whisper swore under her breath and beat out a short line of Morse code of her own:

'_Father here.'_

It had been a set up from a start, Whisper realized bitterly once the message was sent. Her father knew that she would come to stop anything to do with Cobra. And his thoughts probably thought that where she was, her daughters would be. This realization hit her hard and she had to bite down on the inside of her cheek, hard, to keep from gasping aloud. Her eyes grew almost black with hatred. He would never touch them.

More Morse code came over the radio.

'_On way. Stay put.'_

Whisper sent a quick affirmative before she leaned against the wall, gun still held at her chest. More gunshots peppered the silence, but luckily, she heard no shouts of pain from her teammates. Unfortunately, she didn't hear any coming from the other gunmen either.

Minutes passed at a crawl, making the five minutes she was there feel like they passed in only as many hours. She looked up sharply at the sound of someone's soft footsteps coming closer. She pressed herself deep into the shadows of the hut, hiding next to the door. The footsteps come closer and closer before they stopped right outside the door. Whisper caught her breath, feeling her heart pounding against her ribs. A second later, a black figure poked its head cautiously inside. Whisper released her breath.

"Snake," she whispered, lowering her gun slightly. The ninja looked over at her and slipped inside the hut with her. Whisper wrapped her arms around his neck and he hugged her back as his wife released the tension she had been feeling for the last few minutes.

"He's here, Snake. He's looking for them," she said softly, holding back the tears that were threatening to spill. Snake ran a soothing hand down her back, rubbing in small, hypnotic circles until she had calmed down.

'_He won't get them, Whisper. He'd have to go through us first,' _Snake Eyes signed. He looked relaxed, but Whisper knew him better than that. She knew of the pain and fury that was burning in his eyes at that moment.

"I know," Whisper replied. She felt like she was saying those two words a lot lately. Most likely because she had been. She opened her mouth to say more, but gunshots filled the air and they continued, not stopping as they usually did. These were constant rounds, fired over and over and over again. The distress call came over the radio Whisper was wearing and she swore under her breath, looking over at Snake.

"We need to help them," she told him, a fierce light sparking in her silver eyes. Snake Eyes was only too ready to agree.

'_Let's go then,'_ he signed, unsheathing his katana swords. A wicked grin touched Whisper's lips as she raised her rifle.

"I love you."

'_I love you, too.'_

Then both soldiers stepped out of the safety of the hut, heading into the chaos. The scene outside wasn't unfamiliar. Hostiles lined the rooftops and the street at irregular intervals, each with an automatic rifle and most likely even more hidden weapons under their baggy clothing.

Whisper spotted the Alpha team across the street, using boxes and crates for cover. She herself crouched down behind a few crates, quickly setting up the scope on her rifle in record time. She watched as Snake Eyes left to cover Duke, who was on his own, while she covered Scarlet and Ripcord from a distant, taking down the hostiles who were closing in. Once the others realized that they were there, they started to fight back even harder, knowing it was better to fight as a team than to fight alone. The fight continued for about two minutes, but the hostiles seemed to be continuously fed in numbers. Whisper growled as she shot off another bullet, taking down a hostile who was attempting to sneak up behind Scarlet. Sunlight flashed just ahead of her as a couple of Snake Eye's shuriken struck just as many hostiles in the chests, removing both from the fight.

Minutes later, after dodging bullets and running fully on adrenaline, there was a lull in the fight. Whisper started to relax, hoping to give herself a small breather before she realized that something was off. She felt more than saw the presences behind her. When she turned, only one word came to mind.

'_Shit_,' she thought.

Another row of soldiers had been coming up behind them, the Joes having been unaware as they had been paying attention to the hostiles in front of them, creating a large circle that surrounded the five of them. Eight if you counted Shaba, Bonita, and Macy. The male lion was currently nowhere to be found. Whisper turned around and gave a shout of warning to the others. She removed the scope from her rifle and turned around, shooting a straight line through the soldiers that marched towards them. A few of her bullets went wide, but the majority of them struck the arms, legs and or torsos of the enemy soldiers behind her team. More bullets whizzed over her head, retaliations from those who she had been shooting at. One bullet managed to nick the top of her shoulder as it slammed into the dirt by her foot. She hissed, though it was more in annoyance than in pain. She looked over at Ripcord and Scarlet to see how they were doing. They seemed to be doing fine, but Whisper would see the blood that dripped into the sand from the bullet wound on Scarlet's hip as she crouched next to Ripcord, sending off her own round of bullets. The redhead didn't seem to be in any pain, but Whisper know just exactly how painful a wound like that would be if it had struck bone. She just prayed that the bullet had just nicked her and wasn't lodged in the muscle or bone.

Knowing that she would be needing back up, Whisper gave a sharp whistle, paused, and whistled again. Bonita and Macy emerged from their hiding spots in the alleyways, vicious looks on both of their faces. Even Shaba emerged from one of the town buildings, blood covering his muzzle. Looks like the lion had already been busy.

"Angriff!" she cried out to them before shooting out at the soldiers again as they began to tighten the circle around them, starting to close in.

Bonita gave a loud roar, rearing up onto her hind legs before charging the soldiers, Macy a blur at her side. Even in her old age, Macy was still a fierce opponent. Shaba darted forward with the speeding grace that only a lion possessed, lips peeled back to show his already-bloodied fangs. More than one of the soldiers turned and fled at the sight of the charging trio.

Knowing that those behind them would be occupied for a while, Whisper turned back around to face those who were surrounding them on the rooftops. She moved out from her protective area to shoot at them, only pulling back to change out the magazines of her rifle before stepping out to start shooting once more. Whisper was about to pull back for a fourth time when she spotted him, causing every part of her body to freeze with horror.

Her father.

He stood on the rooftops with the rest of his Cobra soldiers. The contraption that he called 'Ghost Runner' was strapped on his chest, though this time, there was no shuriken to prevent him from teleporting around. Whisper hurried to shove the magazine into her rifle, hoping and praying that he wouldn't...

Too late.

When she looked up, her father had already teleported away with Ghost Runner. Fear caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand straight up and she turned in a circle, knowing who the Cobra Commander's target was...

* * *

><p>Snake Eyes stayed close to Duke, covering him as the Cobra soldiers started to slowly, but surely approach. His eyes would flicker over to Whisper every now and again to make sure that she was alright. Sometimes, he would watch her for a few seconds, loving the way she moved like a jaguar, every movement elegant and graceful. To him, she was the greatest warrior alive.<p>

Snake gave a slight shake of his head to clear his mind before he continued to send off shuriken towards the hostiles. Only seconds after he took his eyes off of Whisper, did he hear a sound that he wished to never hear again as long as he lived.

Whisper's scream made all action in the small Egyptian town come to a dead stop.

Snake Eyes turned faster than the human eye could blink, shuriken ready in hand. Whisper was being forced from her spot by the crates, the Cobra Commander holding a wicked looking knife to her throat, his other hand pulling her hair to force her head backwards, exposing her throat even further.

"Put down your weapons!" he rasped out, Whisper giving a small gasp as the knife was dug deeper into the tender flesh of her throat.

* * *

><p>Whisper shook slightly as her father dug the knife deeper into her neck. She tried to warn the others not to do as he said with her good eye, which was bright with fear and determination. She didn't want her father to get his way with her team.<p>

But they ignored her look, setting down their weapons and holding their hands above their heads. She felt her father's body shake as he gave a gleeful chuckle.

"Very good. Looks like you Joes aren't as stupid as I thought," he said. "Come forward, Ninja. I would like to meet my son-in-law."

Whisper's eye caught sight of movement and she focused on it, seeing Macy starting to stalk forward. Bonita and Shaba had ceased in their attack, surrounded by soldiers, guns pointed at them. Macy, however, must have managed to slip away, for she was coming straight towards the two of them.

More movement in front of her. She moved her eye from Macy to Snake Eyes, as he slowly walked forward. When she tried to shake her head 'no', the Cobra Commander just dug the knife into her throat.

"Coward!" she spat at him.

Her father gave a harsh chuckle and pressed the knife against her flesh until she could feel blood pooling around the blade, running down her neck. That was his mistake.

Macy, sensing her mistress's distress and smelling the blood, snarled loudly and lunged forward. Straight at the Cobra Commander.

"Macy, nein!" Whisper cried, trying to stop her beloved dog from throwing herself into danger. "Halt!"

But it was too late. Macy ignored her mistress, more focused on helping her than helping herself. Her powerful, crushing jaws locked around the arm that held the knife, pulling it away from Whisper. The Cobra Commander screamed in pain as the bones in his arm were crushed by the extreme bite force that was that of a German Shepherd's. Whisper shoved her father away from her and ran to Snake Eyes, who pulled her close.

"Macy, genug! Freigabe!" she hollered, turning in Snake's embrace. Snake, afraid that she would run back to help her dog, held her arms to hold her back.

Macy continued to ignore Whisper, the second time she had ever disobeyed her. Ever. Instead, the German Shepherd's jaws tightened on the Cobra Commander's arm, snarling viciously as she shook her head to do maximum damage. Whisper's father used his other fist to beat at Macy's head, trying to get her to release his arm. He twisted the arm that was caught by Macy, knife still in hand. Whisper saw what was going to happen seconds before it actually did.

"No!" she screamed, trying to lunge forward. But Snake Eyes held on tight, though it broke him to hear the pained screams of Whisper as she watched the knife with horror filled eyes.

Since Macy's jaws were wrapped around the Cobra Commander's elbow, he only had to reverse his grip on the knife and snap out his elbow for the knife to enter Macy's throat. She managed to hold on for a few extra seconds before she released, fighting for air as she started to choke on her own blood.

"Let me go, Snake!" Whisper screeched. This time, he did as she asked, running after her as she ran to her beloved pet. She dropped to her knees next to Macy, tears trailing tracks down her dust covered cheeks. She touched her bloodied fur, watching the shepherd's soft golden brown eyes as they met her good one.

"I love you, Mace," she whispered softly. "Ich liebe dich. Reise sicher."

Macy forced her head up one last time to lick Whisper's hand before laying it back down and closing her eyes. Whisper's hand was resting on her ribcage when her heart stopped beating. Seconds later, she heard a scream, full of pain and grief. Only after another second did she realize that it was coming from her. She slumped slightly, sobs still racking her body. Snake Eyes touched Whisper's shoulder, trying to comfort her. A cold chuckle made both look up into the unemotional eyes of the Cobra Commander.

"I thought I taught you not to create emotional ties with anything, Viper. It makes you vulnerable," he said.

Whisper lunged forward, digging her nails into her father's mauled arm. "It's Whisper!" she shouted at him.

He bellowed in pain and slammed a fist into the side of her head. She released him, falling back against Snake Eyes.

"I was only here for you, but taking him might help," the Cobra Commander said as he reached down and grabbed Whisper and Snake Eyes. Ghost Runner flared on his chest and the trio was gone in a flash of lights.

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><p>The soldiers surrounding the rest of the Alpha team dispersed. Once they were gone, Duke ran over to where Snake Eyes and Whisper had last been seen. He swore loudly and went over to Ripcord and Scarlet, who was holding a hand to keep pressure on the bullet wound in her hip.<p>

Bonita gave an anguished roar, running over to the still form of Macy. She nosed her friend, chuffing softly in hopes to get her to rise.

Duke looked away at the scene, not knowing how to really react. Whisper had taught him the commands to use for Bonita and Snake Eyes for Shaba in case something happened to them, but he had never expected something like this to happen. He looked over at Shaba, giving him the hand signal to come to him. The male lion responded immediately and sat down next to him. He then looked over at Ripcord and Scarlet.

"I'll call Hawk and see if he can send someone to come get us," he said, his voice cracking slightly. Things had gone so wrong.

Scarlet had tears in her eyes as she watched Bonita trying to get Macy to stand, but to no avail. She, like Duke, turned away from the sight and over at Duke. She gave a small nod of agreement, knowing that if she talked, she would lose it. She had lost three friends that day, all who had saved her life on more than one occasion.

Duke picked up the radio still attached to his belt and signaled in to the Pit.

"What is it, Duke?" came General Hawk's voice.

"We need a pick up, ASAP. Scarlet's wounded and..." Duke paused, clearing his throat to try and ease the tightness he felt there. "And Macy's down. Whisper and Snake Eyes are gone. They are in Cobra hands."

There was silence before Hawk answered, his own voice heavy with grief.

"Jet is on its way," he said before disconnecting.

Duke rested the radio back on his belt and sat down next to Ripcord and Scarlett in the shade, Shaba resting beside him. They could do nothing, but continue to watch as Bonita mourned for the loss of her best friend and her mistress.

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><p><strong>Sorry if I made you cry guys. It was hard for me to write up, too. :'(<strong>

**But please review and the more reviews I get, the sooner I can have the next chapter up. Thanks.**

**ML**

**...**

**Translations (from German to English):**

** Angriff- attack**

**Nein- no**

**Halt- stop**

**Genug- enough**

**Freigabe- release**

**Ich liebe dich. Reise sicher- I love you. Journey safely. **


	7. Old Plans Ruined Equals New Plans Made

Sasha laughed as she chased after Quick Breeze, sensing her sister right behind her. Everything was so peaceful in Australia. It felt like home.

Sasha's long legs allowed her to stay easily next to Quick Breeze for about ten seconds before he effortlessly pulled ahead of them, his days as a messenger showing through. Sasha stopped running after thirty seconds, knowing when she was beat; Griffin pulled up next to her. Neither twin was breathing hard. Living in a military base with military parents kept you fit, among other things.

Quick Breeze, realizing that the twins had stopped running after him, turned around and jogged back to them, a large, lopsided grin on his face.

"Well, that was fun," he said.

Sasha rolled her eyes. "Well, that was fun," she said, mimicking Quick Breeze's voice before changing it back to her own. "For you maybe. You cheat," she said, hiding the laughter in her words.

"Do not! I just have more experience with running than you do," Quick Breeze said defensively, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Whatever," Sasha replied before smiling at him to show that she was just playing with him.

Quick Breeze gave a heavy sigh before heading towards the other hut once more. He didn't know how he was going to survive with the second generation Joes.

Sasha and Griffin both shared a private giggle, dropping behind so that they could talk to each other in peace.

"Is it just you, or do you feel like something's happened?" Griffin asked, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder as they walked.

"Like here or with the Joes? Because there is the fact that the Pit was attacked by our psycho grandfather who was looking for us," Sasha pointed out.

"I'm not sure," Griffin answered. "I feel like something's about to change for us."

Sasha shrugged. "I don't know, but I don't think it'll be that drastic. Not after what happened at the Pit. Besides, Mom and Dad are the best Joes that there is. Nothing can defeat them!"

Griffin nodded, though still seemed a bit unsure. She knew that something big in their lives were about to change. And, boy, was she right.

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><p>It was later that night when the jet arrived, the villagers just settling down for dinner.<p>

Sasha, Griffin, and Quick Breeze sat in a small group with Jungle Cat, his wife, Black Swan, and a few of his closest friends. Like the rest of the villagers, Sasha and Griffin sat crosslegged with their dishes set neatly in their laps. Their mother had been teaching them the customs of the villagers since before they could walk.

As they ate their wild rice and grilled guinea fowl, Jungle Cat told them stories about his childhood. He even told them their favorite; the one where he had gotten the scars across his chest. Upon telling his story, his voice would grow deep and mysterious, making everyone in the circle lean forward, even the adults.

"I was only fifteen at the time," Jungle Cat started. "I had decided to go out hunting with a group of my friends." He looked over the group, winking at a couple of them. They chuckled and motioned for him to continue his tale. "I took my spear and my bow with a quiver of arrows with me into the jungle. We were only in the jungle for about ten minutes before I knew that we were being followed. The hair on the back of my hair stood up like I had been struck by lightning. I swear by the gods that I felt something, or someone, breathing down my neck and chilling the sweat that lay there. But every time that I looked around, I saw nothing. Only felt the presence of something, like a demon. And that was when-"

The familiar humming sound of a jet's engine caught everyones attention. Griffin cocked her head slightly to the side, listening carefully. Sasha just looked up to watch the sleek, black jet land.

Jungle Cat's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing trouble, as he watched the jet touch down. He forced a small smile onto his face as he looked around the circle. "I guess this story will have to continue on another day," he said, getting to his feet before heading towards the jet.

Sasha touched Griffin's hand and they both got to their feet, following quietly after Jungle Cat. The twins easily picked out the third presence that was following them. Sasha turned and gave a small smile to Quick Breeze. The lanky boy smiled back at them, continuing to walk behind them when they didn't protest.

Jungle Cat cast quick glance at the trio and gave them a stern look, but didn't say anything. He stopped next to the jet and waited to see who would approach.

Sasha immediately recognized the jet. It was from the Pit, something called the Night Raven. Ripcord always called it his "baby". She quietly relayed this information to Griffin, whispering quickly into her ear before turning to watch the jet once more as the engine shut off and the top opened to allow its passengers exit.

"Duke!" Sasha exclaimed happily, jogging over to him as he exited from the jet, though Ripcord stayed where he was in the cockpit. Her blue and silver eyes took in their expressions and dirty, bloodied clothing. Her smile slid from her face. "Where are Mom and Dad? And Scarlet?" she asked, starting to feel uneasy.

Griffin frowned, coming to stand next to her sister. "They aren't here," she said, head tilted slightly to pick up sounds, but she couldn't pick out the familiar heartbeat of her parents' hearts.

"Scarlet's back at the Pit. She was injured and is getting treatment," Duke said, answering the easiest question that he was going to get all night. He rubbed his eyes and looked over at Jungle Cat, not wanting to confront the twins at the moment about their parents.

"Can we go somewhere private?" he asked the tribe leader.

Jungle Cat instantly nodded. "My hut," he declared and started straight towards it.

Sasha, Griffin, and Quick Breeze ran ahead of the group, going into Jungle Cat's hut and sitting down. Sasha and Griffin knew that something was up, and Quick Breeze knew that he wouldn't be satisfied unless he, too, knew what was going on.

Once everyone was settled into the small hut, Jungle Cat asked the question that everyone was dreading.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Where are Whisper and Snake Eyes?"

The three Joes exchanged glances. Duke gave a heavy sigh and looked at the twins.

"Your parents are missing," he started, wincing at the shocked looks that appeared on both their faces. "Cobra made a surprise attack on us in Egypt. The Cobra Commander appeared using Ghost Runner. You remember it, Jungle Cat?" When the tribal leader nodded, Duke continued.

"He grabbed your parents a-after...after he killed Macy," Duke managed to say. "Everyone is on high alert and is searching diligently for them."

Upon hearing that Macy was dead, Sasha's eyes immediately welled up with tears, as did Griffin's. Only one tear slid down her cheek before her eyes hardened and she shot to her feet.

"How dare that son of a bitch!" she screamed, her cheeks becoming flushed with anger. "What have we ever done to him? He pretty much destroys the Pit, kills Mom's dog, kidnaps our parents...all just because he wants us? That blasted motherf-!"

Griffin leaped up next to her sister, clamping a hand over her mouth before another word could pass it. She used her knee to nudged Sasha's, easing her to the ground. Salty tears trailed from her sightless eyes.

"Ranting won't get them back, Sash. Calm down," she whispered softly into her ear. Sasha started to calm down, taking deep breaths, and her face slowly turned from beet red to her normal skin tone. She nodded her head, telling Griffin that she was calm. Well, calmer.

Griffin released Sasha's mouth, though kept a gentle hand on her knee. She glanced towards where she suspected Duke to be. "Continue, please," she said, barely keeping in her own emotions, though her voice betrayed the grief she was feeling.

Duke, startled not only at the language the twelve-year-old had used, but also how vocal she had been. Jungle Cat seemed to be thinking the same, judging by how wide his eyes were. Only after Duke rubbed at his eyes again did he continue.

"We know that he does wants you two, yes," he said, his voice showing how stressed everything was making him. "Which is why we came here. We know that he'll come here next and it's more than likely that he will leave the villagers alone once he sees that you aren't here. We're going to take you back to the Pit and wait for further orders by General Hawk once there on what we are to do with you until we can find the Cobra Commander and your parents. Understand?"

"I understand it, but I don't like it," Sasha growled. "He'll just keep killing and hurting those we love until he gets us. It's as simple as that."

Griffin nodded in agreement. "We should just give ourselves to him," she said flatly. "If we do, then he'll let Mom and Dad go, right?"

Duke was already shaking his head. "Your parents have spent twelve years making sure that the Cobra Commander never found you two. I'm not going to let you waste all their hard work for nothing. Pack your things. We're leaving first thing in the morning."

He gave a polite nod to Jungle Cat before standing and leaving the hut before the twins could utter another word.

* * *

><p>"We can't just leave!" Sasha exclaimed, angrily throwing a shirt into her suitcase. "It wouldn't be right, leaving the villagers here to defend themselves against Cobra. Man, I can't even THINK of the Cobra Commander being our grandfather."<p>

"I know, Sash. That's all you've talked about for the last hour or so," Griffin replied tiredly. Her eyes were red and puffy, the result from her crying. Sasha's eyes, however, remained dry; too angry to shed any tears. "What do you suggest we do? Runaway into the great beyond, taking down Cobra all on our own?" Griffin gave a snort, continuing to pack. Well, at least pack the best a blind girl could.

Sasha looked sharply over at her sister, muscles tense. "That's exactly what we should do," she whispered, lowering her voice. "We should find our parents ourselves."

Griffin froze, looking towards Sasha's voice. "Have you gone insane?" she whispered/yelled. "He'll kill us before we even step outside of the village!"

"No he won't! We're the daughters of the great ninja, Snake Eyes, and Whisper, herself a daughter of the Cobra Commander. We're smarter than they are," Sasha said, trying to change her sister's mind.

"And what if we aren't?" Griffin shot back. "What if we aren't smarter and just end up dead in a ditch?"

Both sisters glared at each other for a few tense moments. The moment was shattered when Shadow, laying next to Sasha's suitcase, gave a soft growl at the door, warning of a presence. A soft knock answered the growl a few seconds later

"Come in," Sasha said, not taking her eyes away from her sister's glassy gaze.

Quick Breeze entered quietly, doing his best not to make a sound. He froze when he felt the tenseness in the air before going over to sit on the edge of one of the pallets that laid on the ground, acting casual as to ease the tension.

"What do you want, Quick Breeze?" Griffin asked, almost snapping at their oldest friend.

"Nothing. Just want to join you on your quest to stop Cobra," Quick Breeze replied, pretending to be more interested in his fingernails than the disbelieving stares from the twins.

"We aren't going on any quest," Griffin said. "We're leaving with Duke in the morning, just like he said."

Quick Breeze gave a snort, rolling his onyx black eyes. "Yeah right. And I'm going to grow a second head and a tail. Get real, Flying Fox. I know that you two are planning to head after Cobra. If not you, then Sasha and I know that you won't leave your sister to go on her own."

"And who are you to tell us what we are going to do?" Sasha asked. She wasn't angry or defensive, only curious and shocked as to how Quick Breeze would know such a thing.

"I'm not. But Jungle Cat is. He was the closest friend that your mother had when she was younger. He knows her probably better than anyone else, besides Snake Eyes. And you two are so much like your mother that it's easy to predict what you would do in a situation such as this," Quick Breeze replied. "He was even the one who told me to come to you guys and to try and get you to let me come with you. It'll be safer with one who knows the other tribes and the quickest paths everywhere."

"He's right, Grif," Sasha said. "And you know that he is."

Griffin gave a groan, looking up towards the ceiling. "Why me?" she asked no one in particular before lowering her head. "Fine. But if we die, I am sooo going to haunt you in your graves," she threatened.

Devilish smiled appeared on Sasha's and Quick Breeze's faces.

"Deal," they replied in sync.

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><p><strong>So what do you think? Love it, hate it? Please review and give your thoughts! Please. Flames are welcome. <strong>

**Next chapter will include a bit more action, so if you review, the faster the next chapter will be up and the happier everyone will be. :)**

**ML**


	8. Escape

**Sorry for the wait guys. Things have been hectic in real life and I'm trying to alternate between two stories at once. Anyway, hope that you read and enjoy this chapter! And please please please review! It's frustrating when you have about 20 views and only two reviews. That reminds me: thank yous' to both HextheDaydreamer and Taeniaea for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own G.I. Joe, only my OCs and the plot.**

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><p>Sasha poked her head out from the hut door, looking around to make sure that no one was watching.<p>

"Hear anything, Grif?" she asked, moving away so that Griffin would take her spot by the edge of the door. Her twin listened quietly for a few seconds before pulling her head back in.

"There are a few guards walking around the perimeter of the camp, probably watching for wild animals. We'll be fine as long as we don't make any loud noises. Everyone else is pretty much asleep," Griffin answered.

Sasha gave a satisfied nod of her head, readjusting the strap of her black backpack. "I guess this is it then," she said, her voice dropping in volume. Griffin smiled softly and reached out to touch her sister's shoulder.

"We'll find them," she promised. "The only thing I'm worried about is not making it out of the camp."

Both girls giggled softly before slipping out of their hut, sticking to the shadows. Their plan was to sneak out of the camp and head to the stables. Quick Breeze would be waiting for them there with their horses and their protectors, along with some supplies that he had collected. After that, they would head towards the old Cobra compound that the villagers and the Joes had fought at almost thirteen years ago; the same battle that had almost killed their mother. They hoped that there might be some clue that would give them the answer as to where Cobra was now. If they couldn't...well, that was an issue that they would figure out when they got there.

Sasha and Griffin were only a few yards away from the stables when what they feared most to happen, happened.

"And just where are you two going?" asked a horribly familiar voice.

The twins froze in their tracks before turning around to face...

Jungle Cat.

The tribal leader had a laughing smile on his face as he relaxed his stiff stance and walked over to them; the scars on his chest and arms were ghastly white in the moonlight, contrasting greatly with his dark skin.

"I take it that my nephew found you and informed you of what I said," he stated, making the sentence into a statement instead of a question. When the girls nodded, Jungle Cat continued.

"Then here are my parting gifts," he said, reaching a hand inside of the bag that hung at his side. He pulled out a thick, leather arm cuff and another smaller piece of leather that looked more like a ring. These he handed to Sasha. "Use the cuff and the thumb guard when you are using your bow. They will protect your flesh from the string."

Sasha took the gifts and gave a grateful nod of her head, slipping the arm cuff onto her left forearm and the leather ring onto her thumb. She was soon startled to notice how well they fit and was even more startled at the small engraving she found in the leather. It was a viper.

"This was Mom's when she was Viper, wasn't it?" she asked, disbelief in her voice.

Jungle Cat nodded. "That it was. She, like you, trained with the bow when she was here. I'm sorry that I haven't taught you all that you need to know for this journey. But I know your mother very well, and your father for that matter. Both are great warriors and I know that their traits have passed onto their children." He smiled fondly at them before turning to Griffin. "And for you, Flying Fox, I have something special."

Griffin held out her hands and felt the two bags that Jungle Cat had placed into them. The first bag she reached her hand into, she felt smooth, small round pebbles that were nestled in some kind of soft grass.

"These are smoke bombs. There are twenty in there and each will last for just over five minutes once they hit the ground. Your enemies will be unable to spot you through the smoke, but that shouldn't bother you," Jungle Cat explained with a sly gleam in his dark eyes. "In the other bag are herbal potions."

Griffin reached her hand into the other bag, feeling the three inch tall vials that laid there. Each had a different symbol etched into them, ones that Griffin recognized.

"These are tribal symbols," she said, running a finger over each engraving. "'Sleep', 'Peace', 'Healing', 'Pain Relief', 'Sickness', 'Poison' and..." She hesitated, feeling the symbol again to make sure she wasn't mistaken. "'Death'?"

"That vial should only be used in extreme emergencies. It is filled with hemlock and belladona, better known as deadly nightshade. It is smaller than the other vials because it only takes two drops to kill a fully grown man," Jungle Cat said, his voice darkening slightly. "I was reluctant to give this one to you, but I had the feeling that you might have to use it sometime in your future. Though I pray that you will never even have to touch it."

Griffin nodded grimly and sealed the bag before placing both bags into her backpack, making sure to place them so that they wouldn't become damaged.

"I have one last thing for you both, though I wish we had a little more time," Jungle Cat said, bringing out a small brush and a small pot of dye. Sasha's eyes lit up at the sight and she quickly told Griffin, who's expression took on a gleeful look. "Your mother was thirteen when she received her tribal tattoo. You two are almost of age, so I believe this to be a good parting gift. These tattoos are temporary, for now, and will last for a couple of months. I will give you your permanent ones when you return." He gave them a small wink. "I just don't want your mother being cross with me if I give you permanent ones without her being here."

Sasha and Griffin both noted how Jungle Cat had said 'when you return' not 'if you return'. Sasha quickly shoved the thought from her mind and shook with anticipation as Jungle Cat approached her before signaling for her to turn around, which she did quickly. Jungle Cat knelt and lifted her shirt slightly to reveal the skin on her hip. He dipped the pointed brush into the dye before going to work. Sasha winced slightly when the pointed tip first pierced her skin before relaxing. As he worked quickly, Jungle Cat spoke.

"You probably already know that your mother's tribal name was Silent Wildcat. Her tattoo was on the back of her neck in the shape of a paw print. When I was about to start the tattoo, I was to put it on her ankle. She refused and asked to have it where it is now. When I asked her why, she just said that telling wouldn't make it as mysterious as it was." He chuckled. "The bravest woman I have ever known was your mother. And I know that you will both follow in her footsteps, my godchildren."

Sasha smiled happily and stepped away once Jungle Cat was finished and moved onto Griffin. While he did her sister, Sasha examined the temporary tattoo that was now etched onto her hip; a surprisingly detailed wolf's eye, the eye slanted slightly forward to make it look like it was guarding something. Or someone. Sasha smiled, happy with the results. Minutes later, Jungle Cat moved away from Griffin and put his things away.

"You must go now if you wish to make it before anyone else awakens," he told them hurriedly. "I have held you up for long enough as it is. Now go! And good luck!"

Sasha watched him go before taking her sister's arm and running towards the stables. She gave a breath of relief when she saw Quick Breeze already there, waiting with their saddled horses.

"What took you so long?" Quick Breeze hissed quietly, handing Peace's reins to Sasha and Sparrow's to Griffin.

Sasha ran a hand down the chestnut paint's neck and kissed her nose in greeting before swinging herself up into the saddle. She caught sight of Shadow as he moved away from the gloomy stables and took up his regular place at her right side.

"Jungle Cat caught us and wanted to give us some parting gifts," Sasha said slyly, a wicked gleam touching her bicolored eyes.

Griffin got up onto Sparrow, the dark brown stallion pawing anxiously at the ground, ready to go, as Sasha told Quick Breeze what they had been given. Queen, like Shadow, came up on her right side once she was mounted and ready. Griffin reached a hand around to her back, touching the small of her back where she knew her own tattoo laid. Jungle Cat told her that he had given her the tattoo of an outline of a flying fox with its wings outstretched like it was actually flying. Griffin couldn't be any happier.

"You ready, Grif?" Sasha asked her twin, holding back an apprehensive Peace, who was tossing her head and pawing at the ground.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Griffin answered, nudging Sparrow forward to stand next to Peace. Quick Breeze trotted over on his tall, leggy buckskin stallion, Arrow.

"Let's go," he said, keeping his voice low. Unlike the girls, he was riding bareback, only using a woven blanket to protect his backside from his stallion's bony back. A few of their supplies rested along Arrow's back, sitting just in front of Quick Breeze so they wouldn't slide off.

Griffin and Sasha nodded as one before slipping out of the stables, their horses' hooves quieted by the soft dirt that laid underfoot. Quick Breeze lead the way, since he knew the quickest way out of the village and to the old Cobra compound. They managed to get almost out of camp before the guards spotted them.

"Where do you three think you're going?" one of the guards called, making his way over to them.

Sasha and Griffin looked over at Quick Breeze, panicked looks on both of their faces. Quick Breeze just gave the guard a sympathetic look before leaning forward over Arrow's neck and nudging the stallion's sides with his heels. The buckskin bolted forward, like an arrow being released from the bow; hence his namesake. Sasha nudged Peace forward and the paint galloped after Arrow, Sparrow close behind with Griffin.

"Hey!" the guard yelled in surprise and anger. "Come back!"

Lights appeared throughout the village at the shout, Duke and Ripcord the first to arrive. They could only watch as the trio galloped off into the plains.

"Damn their mother's blood," Duke said, mostly to himself.

"Hey, Snakes has a part in it, too," Ripcord added, not being able to resist.

Jungle Cat watched from the shadows of his own hut, a grim smile touching his lips.

"Good luck, my godchildren. Good luck, my nephew. May you have strength on your journey," he whispered quietly.

* * *

><p>No one noticed another man, also hidden in the shadow of a hut, by the edges of the village. Nor did anyone notice when he raised a radio to his mouth and spoke into it.<p>

"The children have left. They are on their way to the old compound as we speak," he said.

"Excellent. Turns out my daughter gave her children some of her...less than lovely characteristics. Like her rashness," a raspy voice answered. "Follow them and make sure that they stay straight. Don't let them catch you. You know the consequences if you fail."

And then there was a click and static to show that the other person had left before the man in the village was able to say, "Of course, Commander."


	9. Drugged

**Thanks to all of those who reviewed and/or made this story a favorite or is now following it! :) Hope that you enjoy this latest chapter of Caged 2. Please R&R!**

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><p>"What do you mean they ran away?" came General's Hawks outraged statement over the radio. Duke flinched at the anger and worry in his commanding officer's voice.<p>

"I mean, they gathered their things and horses and ran off with one of the villager boys. Quick Breeze, I believe. I believe that they are trying to find their mother, sir," the blonde soldier replied. General Hawk's faint curse was almost lost in a burst of static, causing Duke to pull it away from his ear.

"Sir, do you wish for us to go after them?" Duke asked. A heavy sigh met his words.

"As much as it pains me to say...no, I don't want you following them. It will only make them reckless to get away and the last thing I want them doing is getting themselves killed. If we're lucky, they can lead us right to Cobra and we can save Snake Eyes, Whisper, and the twins while bringing Cobra down," General Hawk rationalized. Duke started nodding his head before realizing that the General wasn't able to see him.

"Understood, sir. What do you wish for us to do in the meantime?"

"In the meantime, I want you to head back to the Pit. I'll send for Dren to tail the twins. He's trained in thi-," General Hawk replied before static cut the connection completely.

"Hello? General?" Duke asked into the radio, but only the static greeted his words. Swearing under his breath, Duke placed the radio back onto his belt. Ripcord came up behind him.

"What's the word from the General, Duke?" the large, black man asked.

"We are to head back to the Pit," Duke answered.

"What? Is he mad or something?" Ripcord asked, his tone bordering outrage. "Those girls will get themselves killed out there!"

Duke's blue eyes met his friend's dark brown ones. "Have faith in them, Rip," he said. "They've grown up at the Pit, trained by the greatest soldiers of this time. Plus the fact that their parents are the best known soldiers around. They'll be fine." What Duke didn't add was the "I hope" at the end of his last sentence.

Ripcord gave a dejected sigh. "Fine," he murmured under his breath. "But Uncle Ripcord is going to kick both of their skinny hides when they get back."

Duke chuckled slightly. "You'll have to wait in line," he added before both soldiers went to pack up their things to head back to the Pit.

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><p>"Are we there yet?" came the famous lines from Sasha's lips.<p>

"No," Griffin said flatly. "The answer hasn't changed since you asked two minutes ago." Griffin heard Quick Breeze chuckling almost silently in front of them. Almost.

"Breeze, you better knock that stupid grin off your face before I throw a rock at the back of your head again," the blind twin threatened.

Quick Breeze's chuckle died in his throat, knowing that she was serious. Half an hour before, she had thrown a pebble at the back of his head when he wouldn't stop humming an annoying tune that was driving both sisters insane. She might not have been able to see, but her aim was accurate due to the fact that she could hear exactly where he was.

They had been traveling for the majority of the day so far, stopping only to relieve themselves and to get a quick bite to eat before they were back up in their saddles and off again. However, they had stopped around noon to rest and keep out of the midday sun before heading out again as the sun started to set. In their current state, they were travel worn, dusty, tired, and hungry. So normal.

"So..." Quick Breeze started, not enjoying the quiet that surrounded them. Usually, he was used to the silence when he was running from village to village, but when he was in the company of someone, especially his closest friends, it just felt wrong not to be talking.

"How have things been at the village, Breeze?" Griffin asked, noting the olive branch when it was given. Quick Breeze gave a soft smile and pulled his stallion back to walk next to Griffin's own stallion.

"It has been well, Flying Fox," the tribal boy replied. "Messages are enjoyable when they come."

"Any girls that have caught your fancy?" Griffin asked with a sly smile. Her blind gaze didn't see Quick Breeze as his eyes flickered over to Sasha for a split second before returning to her.

"None yet," he replied.

Sasha listened to their conversation for a few moments before sinking into her own thoughts about her parents, lulled into a light doze by the smooth walk of her mare.

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><p><em>Darkness. Just...darkness. Nothing else. No sensations, no light, no nothing. Just darkness. <em>

_'If this is death, then let me be dreaming,' Whisper thought drowsily, resting her head back against the wooden floor, not too hot and not too cold. She had lost feeling in her legs and arms hours ago. Or was it days...?_

_Her thoughts drifted off again before she managed to pull them back together. She couldn't think straight. There was something...something she had to...to protect. What was she to protect? Motion next to her didn't even make her flinch, though a warm feeling spread throughout her when she felt fingers touch her own. Metal clinked together as her handcuffed hands shifted slightly, sending pinpricks of pain up her arms and to her shoulders as blood rushed to them. Her fogged up brain fought to keep focused on something, anything. _

_'Who's next to me?' she thought, not wanting to move. She could feel where her body was laying, but she couldn't actually feel herself. She knew that she was laying down on a wooden floor on her left side. It felt like there was a fireplace nearby, giving off a little bit of warmth, but there was nothing to be seen. For a single second, panic fluttered in her chest, thinking she was blind. Then she relaxed. This wasn't what blindness felt like. She knew what it felt like, and this wasn't it. Someone was laying behind her, more than likely on their right side, twining their fingers in with hers. The name popped into her head for a split second before disappearing._

_'Snake Eyes. Snake Eyes is next to me.' _

_For some reason, she couldn't bring this person's face to memory. It was just a blank. Whisper closed her eyes, which were hurting from straining to see in the darkness. Voices penetrated the fog that clouded her mind, though nothing seemed to stick._

_"Both are under enough sedative drugs to down an elephant," came one male voice. "Their minds will be so muddled, they won't be able to tell the alphabet from numbers."_

_"How long does it last?" came another, raspier, male voice._

_"About five hours or so. We've been giving them continued dosages of the sedative to keep them this way. Even if they do manage to get rid of the effects of the drugs on their own, they will still be unable to tell where they are because of all the drugs that are in their systems. I am a little worried about the ninja though. His body is so used to drugs and such, that we've been having to give him more than what is recommended for someo-"_

_"Do what you must to keep them this way," interrupted the raspy man. "I'd rather just get rid of that bastard child, but since he is my daughter's husband, he may become good leverage for later should the need arise."_

_"Very well, Commander," the other male replied._

_Whisper's thoughts trailed off again and she struggled once more to pull them together. One voice sounded familiar. Why? Who was the raspy voiced man? As she fought to recover her mind, the fingers that were lanced into her own suddenly fell limp. The warm presence that had touched her was now gone, leaving her with an empty feeling. Frowning, she tried to find the fingers, wanting the warm presence to return. Something else touched her instead, roughly grabbing her arm. Whisper gave a small whimper as pain flooded her arm, blood rushing through the currently useless limb. There was a prick by what she believed to be her elbow before her arm was dropped back to the ground like it was just part of a rag doll. Believing the other person to be gone, Whisper tried to reach for the fingers again before her mind was seized by something else and she was pulled back under the fog. _

__Darkness. Just...darkness. Nothing else. No sensations, no light, no nothing. Just darkness.__

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><p>Sasha was poked out of her doze by Quick Breeze. A small smile lit up the boy's face when he saw Sasha's bicolored gaze.<p>

"What?" she asked, almost sleepily. She could feel the sun against her back and when she turned to look at it, it was low in the sky, turning it multiple shades of red, orange, and yellow. Stray hints of purple and blue were already starting to add themselves to the warm colors, signaling that evening was near.

Quick Breeze gave another small smile towards Sasha before answering.

"Your question has been answered," he said, his voice taking on a mystical type tone, his eyes drooping partially shut and he waved his fingers in front of his face. Griffin chuckled at the lanky boy's tone and Sasha was quick to join in, and for the next few moments, laughter filled the air. Once they were finished, Sasha spoke up.

"What question?" she asked.

"The one you were asking about every ten minutes or so since this last night until you fell asleep," Quick Breeze teased.

"I was not asleep," Sasha argued. "Only dozing."

"Whatever," Quick Breeze replied, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, we are here."

The trio looked towards the dull grey, vine-covered, rank smelling, bloodstained, surrounded-by-barbed-wire building that laid just ahead.

Quick Breeze was the one that came up with the logical reasoning to their plans for the night.

"We can rest here for the night," he said. "And examine the building for clues in the morning when it's lighter out."

The twins were only too ready to agree.


	10. Bring Out the Inner Demons

**I was hoping for more than two reviews, but it's better than nothing. To those of you who do read, please please please review. I will get down on my knees and beg if I must. Reviews make my day and virtual cookies for those who do leave one! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own G.I. Joe or the characters, but I do own all OCs and the plot line. **

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><p>Griffin waited patiently while Sasha and Quick Breeze searched for a good spot to stay for the night. Quick Breeze was the first to find one, no surprise there. He managed to find a small hollow in the ground and would hide them from onlookers unless they looked too closely and would protect them from the majority of the wind that would ravage the Australian plains every now and again.<p>

Sasha dismounted and gave a small bird whistle to Griffin to show her sister where they were. The blind twin allowed her stallion to pick his way to the others and stop before she also dismounted, standing next to Sasha. Griffin hated unknown territory. Unlike the Pit, where she knew every twist and turn and grove in the hallways, she knew nothing about the compound that they would be going into tomorrow morning. She could only hear the breeze whistling about it and get an estimate on its size. Other than that, Sasha had to describe everything to her, from the vine covered walls to the bloodstains that looked more like rust spots than anything else. Frustrated once more by her blindness, Griffin just sat in silence as she listened to her sister while Quick Breeze set up camp and untacked Arrow. He knew better than to try and settle down the twins horses. The first time he'd tried, both had managed to smack him upside the head before Sasha scolded him for trying to do their jobs. By now, the village messenger boy knew better than to try and take over for the twins. Both had been raised to look after their animals themselves by their mother.

As Sasha told Griffin about the menacing looking compound that stood only a few yards in front of them, she untacked and rubbed down her chestnut overo paint mare while Griffin took care of Sparrow. A few minutes later, the trio of horses were grazing peacefully nearby while their owners sat in a circle around a pile of sticks, which Quick Breeze was currently attempting to make alight. He cracked his flintstone against a small piece of steel and sparks flew, a few landing on the stick pile. Quick Breeze knelt closer to the pile and blew gently on the sparks until they caught on the leaves and dry grass that had been placed under the sticks. The sparks caught and grew into a hungry flame, eating at the grass and leaves that had been placed there. The flame grew as it spread to the sticks and Quick Breeze added a few twigs to keep it going before looking up into the sky, watching the bloody colors that matched the flames in front of him.

"Nightfall will be here soon," he announced, though instinctively kept his voice low.

Sasha nodded in agreement, her silver and blue colored gaze on the sky as well. Griffin's sightless silver eyes just kept on the fire, feeling the heat on her face.

"What should we do for the watch tonight?" Sasha asked, breaking the comfortable silence after a few moments.

"You can take first, Sash," Griffin said almost instantly. "I'll take second and Breeze can take third. Three hours each."

Sasha was already nodding her head. She knew that Griffin was always the smarter one when it came to a plan. Quick Breeze made a small noise in the back of his throat, agreeing with Sasha. Griffin nodded in satisfaction and took her bedroll from her saddle, unrolling it a few paces from the fire, close enough so that she would be warm, but far enough that she wouldn't become burned by any flying sparks. Sasha and Quick Breeze quickly did the same, though mostly just sitting on them for the time being.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" Griffin asked, sitting on her own bedroll. Queen laid down beside her mistress, adding to the warmth. Griffin was leaning against the liger's side, feeling comfort in her familiar presence.

"I don't know," Sasha said honestly. "Search the compound and hope for a clue, I guess." She absently stroked Shadow, who was leaning against Sasha's leg, his head resting in her lap. Like Griffin, she found comfort in being with her protector.

"A clue that will lead us to Cobra and ultimately, your parents," Quick Breeze added. Both girls nodded.

"That would be correct," Sasha said with a small smile towards the lanky village boy. Quick Breeze blushed slightly, though it was hidden by the shadows and went unnoticed.

"But exactly what kind of clue? The compound is more than likely to be wiped clean by now," Griffin reasoned, missing the small exchange between her sibling and Quick Breeze.

"Crates or something that would show where they got their weapons and such from. There has to be an address somewhere that will help us find out where Cobra took Mom and Dad," Sasha replied. Griffin gave a small nod.

"I guess you're right," she said. Sasha gave a sly smirk.

"Of course I am. I'm me, remember?" Sasha replied before both sisters broke out into giggles. Their laughter soon spread to Quick Breeze and all three started laughing, lightening the atmosphere around them greatly.

()()()()()()

A man watched the trio from a far distance, keeping as silent as he could. He backed up a few yards before making contact to the Cobra Commander.

"They are at the compound," he informed his superior through the radio.

"Excellent," came the expected raspy voice. "I'll be sending your backup to you around midnight. Bring at least one of them back to me. Both if you can manage it. Kill anyone else that is with them."

"Understood, sir," the other man replied before cutting off the radio and moving a bit closer to the campsite to get a better view at his targets.

()()()()()()

Griffin woke up to her sister shaking her shoulder. Sasha spoke quietly so that she wouldn't wake up Quick Breeze.

"Your turn to take watch, Grif," Sasha whispered.

Griffin gave a mute nod and yawned, stretching her tight muscles before reluctantly slipping out of her warm bedroll. The warmth of the fire was just barely there, just a patch of heated embers that radiated what was left of their fire. The chill of the night made her yearn for her bedroll again, but she pushed it away, taking up where Sasha had left off on watch as her twin slipped into her own bedroll to get some sleep before the new day.

Queen stood and walked next to Griffin, staying under her hand to lead her to the bare path of ground Sasha had been using to do the watch. Once she was there, Queen laid down along the bare patch just as Griffin sat. For the next few minutes, Griffin just concentrated on keeping herself awake until her body had adjusted and was awake. Once she was fully awake, she sent out her senses, listening to the area around their little campsite. Crickets chirping, the gentle breathing of the sleeping horses, and the even deeper breathings of Quick Breeze and Sasha behind her. Griffin gave a small smile of content. Everything was peaceful.

"Hopefully the rest of this mission will go this smoothly," Griffin told her liger. Queen just flicked her ears, her massive head resting on her paws. Griffin grinned and placed a hand on her back, stroking the soft fur.

The next two hours were quiet enough. The only thing that caught Griffin's attention was the rumbling sound that came from the sky.

"Think it's going to rain, Queen?" Griffin asked, believing the sound to be thunder. Unfortunately, she couldn't see that the sky was completely clear of anything but stars and the half moon that night. Queen gave a small growl, her hackles lifting. Griffin frowned when she felt the liger's hair standing under her hand. She spread out her senses and she noted that the horses were awake and becoming antsy. Becoming nervous, Griffin shifted her position, coming up to sit on her haunches. Something wasn't right.

Something cracked to the right and Griffin's head shot over towards the nose, touching the dirk her father had given her, ready to pull it out of its sheath. Queen's growl rose and the liger got to her feet, tail lashing. Griffin strained her hearing and picked up the faint sound of heartbeats. A lot of heartbeats. Struggling to keep calm, Griffin made her way stealthily back to the campsite, though she tripped multiple times over rocks and pieces of shrubbery.

"Banshee, get up," Griffin said, shaking as adrenaline flooded through her. As her call sign was said, Sasha shot awake. She knew that Griffin wouldn't use her call sign unless something was seriously wrong.

"What is it, Valkyrie?" Sasha asked, her voice hushed.

"I hear heartbeats. And a lot of them," Griffin replied nervously. "They're starting to encircle the camp."

Sasha was on her feet in an instant, grabbing her backpack and her bow. She grabbed the cuff from her backpack and slipped it on before putting her quiver of arrows over her shoulders. After that, she shoved Griffin's backpack into her hands before going to wake up Quick Breeze.

"What's goi-?" Quick Breeze started to ask sleepily before Sasha slapped her hand over his mouth. The boy's dark eyes widened slightly before he soundlessly got out of his bedroll and grabbed his throwing knife from his pack, arming himself.

"It's Cobra. It has to be," Griffin hissed softly, unsheathing her Japanese dirk. She was instantly thankful that Jungle Cat had been able to teach them the basics of fighting with their weapons, glad that they wouldn't be going into this fight empty-handed.

"Viel glueck, Valkyrie," Sasha said in German, flashing her sister a smile even though she knew she couldn't see it.

"Viel glueck, Banshee," Griffin replied, smiling softly. "Mag ihr ziel wahr sein."

"Mag ihr ziel wahr sein," Sasha agreed just as shouts came from around them and the Cobra Commander's Vipers attacked.

* * *

><p><strong>Ha! Cliffy! You have to love to hate 'em! Anyway, please R&amp;R or I'll send the twins on you. And they already seem to have their hands full at the moment, so they won't be very happy. <strong>

**Translations:**

**-Viel glueck...Good luck**

**-Mag ihr ziel wahr sein...May your aim be true. **

**Until the next chapter (which will come faster with more reviews), ML out!**


	11. Black Smoke

**Sorry about the wait guys. With school and everything else (*cough* and lack of motivation *cough cough*), I just haven't had the time to write. Hopefully this will make up for it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GI Joe or any of the original characters, but I do own Griffin, Sasha, Whisper, and all the other OCs that show up and the plot.**

()()()()()()

The Vipers wasted no time in attacking the two girls, who fought back harder and faster than what was expected from the thirteen year olds. Even Quick Breeze joined the fight, keeping protectively close to Sasha. Queen and Shadow fought next to their mistresses, the vicious snarls and growls enough to make any soldier quake in their boots. Ordinary soldiers at least. Those enhanced with nanomites and could no longer think for themselves, not so much.

Griffin slashed out with her dirk at anyone who came close, listening for the distinct noises and smells that would alert her to an attack; the heavy thud of a males' heartbeat, the smell of metal and/or blood, the rustling of brush being crushed under large feet, and the cutting of air as a bullet ripped through it. All these things gave her a good sense of where the Vipers were.

Sasha cast worried glances constantly towards her blind sister. She had tried multiple times to get close to her, but the enemy soldiers were determined to keep them separate. Even Quick Breeze was being forced away from her.

'They're forcing us apart,' she thought grimly before loosing an arrow into the metal mask of one of the Vipers', managing to get it into the eyehole and killing him instantly. She was startled by the fact her shot had actually hit him, more so by the fact that she had killed a man. She shook the thoughts from her mind, not wanting them to distract her. She would worry about such things later. And a good thing, too. The slight glint of a knife, lit up only by the presence of the moon, caught her attention and she dodged just in time, the blade only catching the edge of her shirt. She swore under her breath and glared at the offending Viper.

"This is my favorite shirt, you moron!" Sasha hollered before tackling him to the ground, which was actually quite good for a girl just under a hundred pounds to take down a man of over 250 pounds. Then again, she was the daughter of a ninja.

"Hey, you didn't curse," came Griffin's voice. "Shocker."

Sasha turned to look at her sister, who was grimly fending off at least six Vipers on her own, just managing to keep them at bay. She raised her bow and managed to hit two of the Vipers, though only enough to slow them down instead of actually killing them.

"You doing alright there, Valkyrie?" Sasha asked, raising her voice to be heard over the noise of blades and gunshots.

"Just perfect," Griffin replied, her voice tart and short. "After this, you want to go on a picnic and skip through the hills with unicorns?" Another clang of metal as her dirk hit the metal breastplate of one of the Vipers, driving him back.

"Smartass," Sasha grumbled under her breath, but of course her sister heard.

"Better to be a smartass than a dumbass!" Griffin said mockingly before they went back to fighting for their lives.

"You two are idiots!" Quick Breeze's voice butted in. "Squabbling like a pair of koel birds at a time like this!"

"It keeps us sane," Sasha said defensively. "And not too worried about what the outcome may be."

"Both of you shut up so I can listen!" Griffin snapped, and the other two went quiet, focusing completely on the fight at hand.

()()()()()()

The twins and Quick Breeze managed to keep the Vipers at bay for just about five minutes before it happened.

Sasha was now fighting back-to-back with Quick Breeze, having managed to get over to him. The tribal boy was fighting like a jaguar, darting forward with a handful of blades one second before his back would be back against Sasha's during the next. They had tried repeatedly to make their way over to Griffin, but the Vipers refused to comply, forcing them further and further away from the third member of their group. Queen, at least, was next to Griffin, helping her blind mistress the best she could. Shadow, of course, stayed close to Sasha. Vipers laid sprawled out on the ground, either dead or too wounded to continue with the fight. But many more were still standing, two replacing every one that fell.

Sasha's moves were becoming slow and sluggish, feeling as though she were fighting in honey. True, her endurance and stamina levels were higher than ordinary thirteen year olds, but she was still young and wouldn't be able to keep up the fight for too much longer before she got hurt. She was surprised already at the fact that they were still alive and walking. Not uninjured though, as all three currently sported various nicks, bruises, and cuts, the worst being a slash to Griffin's thigh that was bleeding heavily.

Griffin was slowing, her movements even slower than Sasha's. She was becoming desperate, the din of the battle raging in her ears, some of the sounds becoming blurred and hard to distinguish. She heard a Viper behind her and spun around on her good leg, dirk raised for the attack. But nothing came. Instead, the sound of a pin being pulled gained her full attention. A sound that was all too familiar to one raised in a military family.

"Grenade!" she screamed before flattening herself to the ground, hands covering her ears.

Instinct upon hearing the word "grenade" was what drove Sasha to the ground, grabbing Quick Breeze's arm and pulling him down with her, clapping both hands over her ears and curling up unto a ball to protect her stomach, eyes clenching tightly shut. But even that wasn't enough to stop the girls from feeling the ground shaking and the debris that rained down on them. The blast still hurt their ears, even with their hands clamped tightly over them. It wasn't until later that Sasha realized that what the Vipers had thrown was no grenade. It was a flash-bang.

White spots still seemed to dance around the dark clearing from the explosive, making it difficult to tell one thing from the next. Sasha's ears still rang, furthermore throwing off her sense of balance. She got shakily to her feet next to Quick Breeze, the two supporting each other while they waited for their sight and hearing to clear.

"Valkyrie!" Sasha screamed, her voice sounding a bit slurred from her distortion of the repercussions from the flash-bang. She blinked rapidly, willing her vision to clear so she could check on her sister. When it did clear, she wished for it to vanish again.

Three Vipers were carrying away an unconscious Griffin, blood trickling from her ears.

'_She must have been closer to the flash-bang than we were,' _Sasha thought, fresh adrenaline dumping itself into her system.

"No!" she cried out, pushing away from Quick Breeze and stumbling towards the fading form of her sister. She turned to give a command to Shadow and Queen, but both creatures were down for the count thank to the flash-bang. Rage and hatred replaced her anguish and she managed to run forward, half stumbling, half normal running.

One of the last Vipers turned to face a charging Sasha, his metal mask catching a few rays of moonlight. He reached towards his belt and threw something at the other twin. Black smoke filled the air, and panic seized in Sasha's chest. She hated the dark, the thick, emptiness of it striking fear into her very being.

But her sister was in danger. Griffin was in danger. Pushing her panic attack aside, she shoved her way through the smoke, thinking of it as just another training session. That Griffin was taunting her in their training room, waiting to be found by her searching sister. Ready to take off her blindfold so that they could join up with the others for lunch.

Sasha pulled herself out of those thoughts as a faint sound caught her ear, almost identical to the one that Griffin had heard seconds before the flash-bang. But Sasha had a feeling that this was not going to be any flash-bang.

"Grenade!" she cried out to Quick Breeze, flattening herself to the ground again and could only hope that the village boy had done the same. A loud explosion echoed throughout the air and Sasha stifled a yelp as she felt pieces of dirt, rock and shrapnel hit painfully against her body. And then, everything was silent.

Stunned and in shock, Sasha laid on her side for a few moments, getting herself under control before getting shakily to her feet for the second time that night. Her bicolored eyes searched the darkness for her sister. But it was too late. The Vipers were gone.

And so was her sister.


	12. Small Things Make the Biggest Impacts

**Thanks for those of you who reviewed, added as a favorite, followed, etc. Though double thanks to those who reviewed. :) Reviews make everyone happy! *hint hint!* Anyway, sorry for the late update. School is a pain, though I know that has been everyone's excuse lately. Can't say that I blame them. School is a pain. Plus with the fact I left you with a cliffhanger...sorry...**

**So, without further ado, I give you the next chapter of Caged 2: Ghost Runner! :D**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of G.I. Joe, but my OC characters and the plot line.**

()()()()()()

'_She's gone,'_ Sasha thought, tears forming in her eyes again. '_I should have been there for her, and I wasn't. Now she's gone. Just like Mom and Dad.' _Silent tears followed the tracks of those shed previously.

Quick Breeze came up behind Sasha, resting a hand on her shoulder. "She'll be fine, Sash," the village boy told her gently. "She isn't a weakling or a coward. Heck, I bet those Vipers are regretting taking her right now. I bet they're wishing they had just left her here with us, she'll be giving them so much trouble."

Sasha shook his hand off, standing up and limping towards Peace, wanting the comfort of her horse. She was thankful that no one else had been badly hurt except for some cuts and bruises. Almost an hour had passed since the Vipers had departed with her sister. Since then, she and Quick Breeze had done their best to gather what remained of their things, including Griffin's backpack, which she had probably dropped after becoming unconscious. After that, they had done some light first-aid, cleaning wounds and bandaging them. Now, they just had to figure out what to do next. They had no idea where the Vipers would have taken Griffin, and Sasha knew that going to the building now would be pointless. They wouldn't find anything.

'_Everything was a trap from a start,' _Sasha realized bitterly, scrubbing a hand roughly across her cheeks. Peace nuzzled her chest gently, giving a soft nicker. Sasha slung an arm over her mare's neck, burying her face into her mane before sobbing quietly, not knowing what else to do.

()()()()()()

Griffin gave a moan, her head pounding. The rocking motion she was experiencing wasn't helping. Nor was the fact that she was hanging upside down. Suddenly panicked and wide awake, she thrashed, feeling metal underneath her. A heavy hand crashed into the back of her head, causing her to yelp in pain. Once her head settled back down to a dull throb, she listened carefully, trying to make out what was going on around her, making a check list in her head:

Sasha's heartbeat absent . . . check.

Quick Breeze's heartbeat absent . . . check.

No familiar heartbeats around . . . check.

Weaponless . . . check.

Hanging upside down over someone's . . . shoulder possibly? . . . check.

A plan to escape . . . no check.

Any idea what to do next whatsoever . . . no check.

Giving a defeated sigh, Griffin relaxed against the man's shoulder, slowly regaining her senses and her strength.

'_Everything will be alright,' _she thought to herself, closing her eyes. '_I hope . . .'_

()()()()()()

Sasha finally finished with her sobbing and just rested her head against Peace's neck. A furry head shoved its way next to her leg, causing her to look down. Shadow plopped down next to his mistress, still looking a little dazed. She had done her best in clearing the blood from the black and grey wolf's ears, but she knew that he would probably still be dazed for a while. Heck, she was still dazed herself from that flash-bang.

She rested a hand on Shadow's head and managed a small smile when her wolf licked her hand before leaning against her leg. The wolf reminded her of Queen and she turned to look at the liger. Queen had refused to come close to either Sasha or Quick Breeze, snarling at either one of them should they come too close. Sasha knew better than to get any closer to Griffin's protector when she was in that sort of mood, not wanting to lose a limb for messing with the distraught liger.

'_I want Mom. I want Dad. I want my sister. I want to be back at the Pit with the rest of the Joes,' _Sasha thought, feeling extremely vulnerable in her young age of thirteen. _'I'm not a superhero. I can't do this alone.'_

Shadow suddenly gave a growl towards Sasha, giving her a sharp nip to the hand. Suppressing a yelp, she looked down at the wolf, glaring angrily. The wolf stood his ground, glaring back at his mistress. '_You are a Joe,' _he seemed to be telling her. '_And you most certainty aren't alone. So get your head out of your ass and do something to help your family instead of just sitting here and mopping like a lost puppy.'_

"What if I am just a lost puppy?" Sasha grumbled, leaning against Peace's shoulder. "Besides, I don't even know how to find her. If you're so great, why don't you find her?"

Shadow gave the impression of being extremely annoyed with Sasha, his head lowered and his ears flicked back. '_Really? You've been trained by the greatest group of soldiers alive and you're just going to give up? That's not the Sasha I know and love, and I'm sure it's not the Sasha that Griffin knows either. So, what's it going to be?'_

Sasha glared at the wolf. "You've learned too much sarcasm from me," she muttered under her breath. "And that is not something that I need." She suddenly gave a growl. "I'm talking to a wolf. I have officially lost it." She started to rub the teardrop shaped gemstone around her neck, biting her lower lip. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't hear Quick Breeze approaching until he was standing next to her.

"She'd want us to leave her, you know," he said, breaking the silence. "Your sister, I mean. She wouldn't want us putting ourselves in danger for her."

Startled, Sasha jumped slightly before turning to face Quick Breeze. He continued without looking at her.

"The reason I'm telling you, is because I know that you'd want to do the exact opposite of what she says. If she'd want you to stay, you'd go after her. And just so you know, I'm with you all the way."

Sasha gave a small smile before speaking. "One of the guys back at the Pit, an older soldier, told me something that I'll never forget. He told me that the smallest of things make the biggest of impacts. When he first told me that, I thought that he was just making fun of my size. But now I see what he means. We may be small, but we can make an impact on things. We will get my sister back, and we will get my parents back. And we will kick Cobra's butt while doing it." She could feel the smile on Quick Breeze's face without even having to turn.

"That's the Sasha I know," was all he said before he was off, throwing the rest of his things over Sparrow's back. They'd need to ride fast if they were to catch up and Sparrow would have to carry their things since he wasn't carrying Griffin. But the dark brown horse had another purpose as well. Sasha slid her backpack over her shoulders, feeling it settle easily against her back, as she walked over to Sparrow, forcing him to look her in the eye.

"I want you to go back to the village, Sparrow. Go to the village. Do you understand? Village," Sasha said, staring deep into the stallion's black eyes. She watched him for an extra moment before she released his bridle, slipping a note into one of the packs, somewhere where it wouldn't fall out. "Make Griffin proud," she whispered before giving him a light tap on his rump. And the stallion galloped off.

"Are you sure that he knows what he's doing?" Quick Breeze asked, already on top of Arrow.

Sasha nodded, not taking her eyes off of the fading form of her sister's stallion. "I would bet my life on it," she said simply before mounting Peace. She turned the mare to look at Quick Breeze, her bicolored eyes swirling dangerously. "Now, let's go wreck some havoc."

()()()()()()

**Short, I know, but hopefully it'll get your blood pumping. ) And remember, reviews mean faster updates! So, please review! Thanks!**

**ML out**


	13. The Fire of Freedom

**Thanks for those of you who reviewed, added as a favorite, followed, etc. Though double thanks to those who reviewed. :) Reviews make everyone happy! *hint hint!* I have been bunkered down with schoolwork and have finally found a time to just sit down and type. Sorry for the late update.**

**And Merry Christmas! Got off my lazy bum to write this for you guys! :) **

**Disclaimer: Wish I owned G.I. Joe, but, sadly, I do not have to join of being able to. **

()()()()()()

Sasha looked over her shoulder at Quick Breeze, her mouth dry as adrenaline pounded through her with every heavy beat of her heart. She was ready to liberate her sister, and her parents if possible, though she barely had a plan in mind. Quick Breeze's return smile sent warmth through her limbs, giving her the strength to go on, plan or no plan. She took a deep breath, keeping her eyes on the compound they had found in front of them.

_We're coming, Grif, _she thought to herself. _Even if it kills me, we'll get you and Mom and Dad out of that hellhole._

_"_So, what's the plan?" Quick Breeze asked, looking at the guards that stood in intervals around the compound.

Being the child of Whisper and Snake Eyes, the first plan that came to mind wasn't as much of a smart plan as it was reckless and desperate. She looked over at Quick Breeze with her crazed looking, bicolored eyes.

"Here's the plan," she said.

()()()()()()

Griffin opened her eyes, the customary blackness covering her vision. She knew that she was no longer on the man's shoulder. Instead, she was laying on something firmer. She reached out with her hands; at least, she tried to, as she found them restrained behind her back. She rolled slightly, feeling the wooden floor under her. Grumbling to herself, she got back onto her side, closing her eyes again to help her concentrate.

The skittering of claws a few feet away.

_Rats,_ Griffin thought, wrinkling her nose before dismissing the noise and sending her senses out again. The smell of lemon cleaner came from the floor underneath her, along with a stronger scent, a very familiar one. A smell she'd known since she was little. The smell of Snake Eyes' favorite cologne.

"Dad?" Griffin called experimentally, becoming aware of the two heartbeats in the room with her. She grew scared at how slow and sluggish and irregular the beats were. "Mom?"

There was no response to her calls.

Griffin rolled onto her stomach, resolving to move like an inchworm, moving slowly, inch by inch, towards the scarily slow heartbeats. After what seemed like hours, her head finally touched something warm and soft. She rolled into her side, hands fumbling out behind her as she fought to feel something, feeling all the more frustrated with her blindness. She gave a sigh of relief when she felt the stretchy material of her father's ninja suit.

"Dad!" she cried out, in both happiness and fear. She'd found her father, but his heart was moving so slowly, she was beginning to believe that he was already dead. She moved around a bit more and found her mother, feeling the material of the shirt she usually wore in combat. When she touched her mother, she was startled by a slight twitch she felt the lean muscles make. "Mom!"

()()()()()()

Whisper fought the haze of the drugs that were lulling her to sleep, giving her a sense of safety that wasn't there. Yet, every time she struggled out of it, they pulled her back under with surprising ease. To be taken down so easily infuriated her to no end. The fact that she could feel her husband right behind her only added to her frustration and humiliation.

She attempted to lift her head, even though something such as lifting her eyelids was beyond her, when she heard someone talking. The voice was familiar, yet the name slid away from her mind when she tried to grab hold of it. Something stirred deep within her gut, making her stomach roll nauseously and it wasn't from the drugs.

Whisper felt Snake Eyes attempting to move, but the best he was able to achieve was to flex his arms slightly. He must have heard the voice, too. She tried again to throw off the effects of the drugs, and a thrill of happiness shot through her when she was able to open her eyes, though not by much.

She felt something, or some_one_, begin to touch her shirt and she instinctively tried to move to get the person off of her. The best she was able to do was twitch. Another shaft of happiness. She was able to move!

A voice, youthful and feminine, cut briefly through the fog that clouded her mind.

"Dad! Mom!"

Whisper felt the pain and frustration within the voice and wished to help. Her gut rolled again as the fog started to painfully break apart, like sunlight on mist in the morning.

_Call again, _she coaxed the voice. _Please call again._

Thankfully, the voice did just that, this time sounding rough, as though holding back unshed tears.

"Daddy! Mommy! Wake up!" the voice wailed. "Please!"

Whisper's gut rolled fiercely now and she flexed her hands behind her back as she fought off the haze with a newfound passion. She could feel Snake Eyes moving around behind her, vibrations traveling to her as her husband made a low growl in his throat, weak but building and getting stronger. Inspiration hit her like a freight train, both at her husband's determination and the familiar wailing of the young girl. She gave a low hiss in pain as blood rushed to her hands, secured behind her back. She shifted, the most she'd moved in days. Pinpricks ran across her skin as the fire in her blood flared, the drugs in her body weakening for once. Her stomach rolled and she twisted her head just as the meager contents of her stomach came up, also getting rid of a few of the drugs that someone had forced down her throat. She retched for a second time before her stomach was completely empty. The cold spike of adrenaline burned away the majority of the drugs, bringing her senses back to her for the first time in who knew how long. By the way she could feel Snake Eyes moving against her, he was going through the same thing, even vomiting up the pills in his stomach.

Memories surfaced next and Whisper was finally able to place a name and face with the voice. The same person she had birthed and raised for thirteen years. And then, she uttered a word, the first in many days, so it wasn't surprising that the word was said in a rough, croaky voice.

"Griffin."

()()()()()()

"So, you know the plan?" Sasha asked Quick Breeze, Shadow crouched at her feet.

"I know it," Quick Breeze said grouchily. "I still don't agree with it."

"Well, do you have a better idea?" Sasha snapped.

"No," Quick Breeze growled under his breath.

"Ok then, we're doing my plan."

Quick Breeze shot the crazed girl a glare. "If this does end up killing me, I'm going to haunt you," he warned.

Sasha gave a chuckle before remembering how Griffin had said almost the exact same words. She went quiet for a second before a hard steel was drawn over her eyes and she pushed everything from her mind.

"Come on," she told Quick Breeze, taking up her bow and quiver of arrows that Jungle Cat had given her.

"One moment," the village boy said, coming a bit closer to Sasha from their crouched position. "This is for just in case I do die today."

And then he kissed Sasha on the lips, light and gentle as a butterfly's wings. Sasha was just staring at him wide-eyed as he backed off, his dark skin hiding the blushing heat that was crawling up his neck and onto his cheeks.

"Alright, now I'm ready," he said before getting to his feet and beginning part one of the suicide plan that Sasha called "a plan".

()()()()()()

"Momma!" Griffin sobbed upon hearing her mother's voice. She wished more than ever that she was able to see her mother's face and touch it, but that was impossible.

"Hey, baby," Whisper said softly, looking up at her daughter with a deep love that only a mother could have for her child.

"I missed you," she said, not really sure as what else to say.

"I missed you, too, hon," Whisper said, looking around quickly before she tired. She kept as still as possible, regaining her strength. "Where is your sister?"

"I don't know," Griffin admitted. "We were attacked and I was knocked out and brought here. But," she said before her mother could say a word. "I'd bet on my life that she's here somewhere, coming up with a plan with Quick Breeze."

"You shouldn't be here, Grif," Whisper replied, her voice becoming less raspy the more she used it. "You should be back in the village or in the Pit with the other Joes."

"You know us, Mom," Griffin said, her tone light. "We're your daughters."

Whisper gave a sigh. "I suppose your right," she said gruffly, but the love and joy was still alight in her eyes. "Now, let's try and get out of this place, huh?"

Griffin gave a small chuckle. "Sounds like a plan," she said.

()()()()()()

**Alright, so this was mostly just a teaser to prepare you guys for the big action next chapter! Please read and review and again, have a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other winter celebration that you may celebrate, and a happy new year!**

**Real quick, before I wrap things up, I'd like to take a moment of silence to remember those who died in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14th, 2012. May God be with their families this holiday and may they someday find peace.**

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .**

**Thank you guys and again have a Merry Christmas and I hope that you all get what you wanted from Santa. ;) LOL! Until 2013, ML out.**


	14. Resolution

**Thanks to those who read the last chapter, favorited this story or me, and followed this story as well. :) Sorry for the wait, but I'm starting to think that all the schools around here are really ticked about something and have all the students almost literally up to our necks in homework. **

**So, hope you enjoy this next chapter of Caged 2: Ghost Runner! And a [really] late Happy New Years' to everyone! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own G.I. Joe, but I do own my own characters and the plot.**

()()()()()()

Sasha crouched by the entryway doors, bicolored eyes on the gate. Quick Breeze sat on his haunches just behind her, cursing her under his breath. Sasha hid a smile, though didn't turn to look. She knew that he thought of her plan as a suicide mission, but she had nothing else; she had to save her family.

Sasha kept her eyes on the gate, feeling much like a lioness about to spring onto her prey as a guard came around the corner on his patrol. Even Quick Breeze fell quiet, becoming a deadly silence just as she was. Without another sound, Sasha stalked forward, balancing on the balls of her feet. Everything had to be timed perfectly or she wouldn't be able to-

She lunched forward in a split second, using the arrowhead from one of her arrows to stab the guard in the back as he turned to go back around the building. His spinal cord severed, the dead guard fell to the ground with a soft thud. Sasha motioned Quick Breeze forward as she awkwardly maneuvered the guard through the fence to find his badge.

"Got it," Sasha said, her voice barely above a whisper as she twisted the badge around to swipe it through the door. The light switched from red to green, and Sasha pushed the guard's body out of the way as she opened the gate, Quick Breeze at her heels. "I'll check out the area. Get changed."

Quick Breeze grumbled something under his breath as he rolled the guard over; Sasha wisely ignored him as she moved back the way the guard had come, using every technique that her father had taught her about stealthy approach. With twilight only minutes away, it was already becoming harder and harder to see by the second. Sasha's old fear of the dark started to claw at her insides, but she shoved it childishly out of the way, knowing there would be another time to deal with her fear and that no was not the time. It took her only about two minutes to reach the edge of the building and look around the corner. Two more guards were out patrolling, their large guns held diagonally across their chests. She was preparing to start forward to dispose of the guards when a hand came down on her shoulder and a hand clamped around her mouth, pulling her back into the growing shadows.

()()()()()()

Griffin was startled awake at the sound of a door opening. She felt her mother, still groggy and shot full of drugs, shift sluggishly next to her. She was unsure as to how much time had passed since she'd last talked with her parents when the drugs had lost some of their effect. But with adrenaline only going so far, the drugs were able to reclaim both of them. They hadn't even been able to create much of a plan before Snake Eyes and Whisper had fallen back under the effects of the sedatives. There was only so much one girl could do, and carrying two heavily drugged soldiers out of a heavily guarded area was not something that was on that list.

"Who's there?" Griffin called out, forcing her voice to stay steady as she struggled to sit up, her hands still tied behind her back. She could hear three heartbeats, strong and steady, just on the far side of the room by where she was guessing the door was. A thin, reedy chuckle met her words, sending an icy chill down her back.

"Hello, Granddaughter," the voice said and Griffin could almost feel the hairs on the back of her neck bristling. "I must say, you are just as beautiful as your mother was when she was little."

Griffin's fear and anger were replaced with repulsion. "You have no right to speak of my mother," she hissed, sightless gaze looking towards the voice. The chuckle met her words.

"And her stubborn, fighting spirit. Unfortunately, you didn't seem inherit your father's silence nature," the Cobra Commander stated, his footsteps approaching. Griffin could almost imagine him looking towards her father in disdain. She discreetly tested the restraints around her wrists, though was only greeted with the same tightness she'd been experiencing for the past few hours. Instead, she brought her legs up and slid them through the gap in her arms, bringing her arms around to her front. She got to her knees, bringing one foot under her to give herself some leverage. One of the heartbeats by the door quickened slightly and Griffin could hear the slightest sound of cloth rubbing on cloth as he shifted, presumably bringing his gun up to train it on Griffin.

"Keep your weapons lowered," the Cobra Commander snapped and Griffin heard another rustling of cloth as the gun was lowered. "As for you, Granddaughter, I suggest that you stay where you are; don't want anything happening to your mummy and daddy, now do we?"

"You savage bastard," Griffin growled, her intimidating glassy eyes narrowing at the owner of the hideous voice she was hearing. The Cobra Commander tsked his tongue at her, as though scolding a naughty puppy.

"Come now," he said. "I know that we've gotten off on the wrong foot, but I'm sure that you'll love it here. A lot of things for a young girl such as yourself to learn and a lot of things that I can teach you. Join me willingly, and I'll let you have free roam here as well as freeing your parents." He paused and Griffin heard the papery crackling of dry skin moving. She repressed a shutter, not even wanting to guess what the smile of the Cobra Commander looked like. "Join me willingly, and I'll give you your sight back."

That caught her attention.

"Wh-What?" Griffin stuttered, disbelief written on her face. Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "No. You're lying."

Again with the tsking noise. "No, Granddaughter, I would not lie to you. You'd be surprised what nanotechnology can do these days, especially when it comes to healing," the Cobra Commander said.

Griffin fell silent, thinking hard.

_With my sight, _Griffin thought, _I could do just about anything. I could be helpful to everyone besides blundering about like a helpless person. _

She thought back to the time Sasha had made fun of her for facing a wall and not the door, or when she picked up underwear instead of a shirt. Anger and embarrassment coiled up in her gut, like a cobra preparing to strike.

Another noise caught her attention; the sound of a sluggish heartbeat attempting to work harder.

"No," Whisper croaked, like the one word pained her. "Don't Grif-" The rest of her response was cut off with a strangled noise combined with the connecting of a boot to flesh.

Griffin felt the anger rise up again, this time at the man who called himself her grandfather. Before she could reply though, he spoke.

"See what they wish upon you, dear child?" he asked, his voice suddenly very close. Griffin stiffened, feeling and smelling hot, foul breath on her face as the Cobra Commander crouched in front of her. "They wish for you to live the rest of your days in darkness. They don't wish for you to reach your full potential, so that your sister can be better. They always loved her best, did they not? Because she was able to _see _and do things that you couldn't do. She was always the favorite. They don't want you to see the disappointment on your father's face when he sees you mess up time after time again when your sister gets it within moments. But with me, Granddaughter, you will never be disappointed in. Your sight will be returned to you and you can train to your heart's content. You can become better than your sister ever was or ever will be!"

Griffin felt herself drawn in by what the Cobra Commander was saying.

_He's right, _the dark voice within her said. _They were always proud of Sasha. You may have done something right, but she'd always have to do it better. Take the offer and be number one. Don't settle for being second._

Griffin was silent for a few more moments, her jealousy rising for her sister. She failed to bring to mind how many times she'd outwitted her twin on a training course or how much the dark scared her sister, unlike her. She failed to remember the laughs she'd had at Sasha's expense from of exercises failed because she'd been unable to find her way through a dark maze, unable to hear the heartbeats of those waiting just on the other side. She failed to remember how she'd felt her father's face smile for the first time when she completed a full cartwheel before Sasha. All that was on her mind now was becoming better, so she could impress her parents for once. A blind girl had no use in the army, as many people had pointed out to her before in the past when she was younger.

Griffin looked towards her grandfather, resolve giving her glassy eyes some light.

"I'll join you."

()()()()()()

**So, I'm sorry for the shortness, but it's just until I can get the rest of my creative juices flowing. Hope that you enjoyed it and I hope that you'll read and review, please! Reviews always make my day! Sorry again for the long wait, and I promise that the next chapter will be up shortly and that it will be longer!**

**(P.S., reviews are greatly appreciated! :))**


	15. Sight

**Thanks to those who read the last chapter, favorited this story or me, and followed this story as well. :) Love reviews and love my dedicated reviewers, MorWolfMor and HextheDaydreamer. You two keep me going and encourage me to continue when I feel like this story is falling down the drain. Here here to you both!**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated! Enjoy! ;)**

()()()()()()

Sasha clawed at the hand around her face before a voice hissed in her ear, "Will you knock it off?! I quite enjoy having my hand attached to my arm."

Sasha cursed under her breath, relaxing as the hand lifted from her mouth. "You're just lucky I didn't take your manhood," she threatened. "You know how I feel about the dark."

Quick Breeze gave a quiet chuckle. "What happened to being aware of your surroundings?" he taunted before becoming serious, looking towards the roof. "You forgot about the ones on the rooftop. You were about to step out in front of them."

Cold dread hit Sasha in the gut when she thought about how close she'd been to exposing them both before her plan had been properly put into place. She closed her eyes and counted to five before opening them again and looking towards Quick Breeze, who had managed to get into the guard's uniform even if it was a bit big on him.

"Ready?" she asked, shoving her dread away to look over at another time; a time when she wasn't worried about saving the lives of her parents and sister.

"Ready," Quick Breeze confirmed, only his white teeth visible in the shadows.

Sasha gave a nod before shifting her bow over her shoulders and nocking an arrow into the string. She took a few paces backwards until she was staring straight up onto the roof. Taking deep, calming breaths, she set her sights down the arrow much like she'd set her sights down the barrel of a gun to aim. She took into account the wind, thankful that there was barely any, before releasing the arrow towards the guard on the roof, praying that it would actually hit him. God must have been on her side because it flew straight and true, right into the guard's heart as he dropped soundlessly. Sasha nodded towards Quick Breeze and he moved out from the shadows, walking towards the two patrolling guards. Sasha watched and waited, letting the village boy have his glory. He moved with the radiating authority of a general, shoulders back and chest thrown forward. Despite his actual age, he looked to be twenty, especially thanks to the shadows that hid his beardless, youthful face. Sasha moved forward slightly, keeping her silver and blue eyes on Quick Breeze as he approached the first guard from behind. The guard barely had time to make a sound as Quick Breeze moved like a panther, grabbing his neck and twisting sharply, breaking the guard's neck before falling to the ground. Quick Breeze didn't even hesitate as he took up the guard's silenced firearm and shot the other guard before he could call out.

Sasha approached Quick Breeze once he signaled to her, looking around warily as she avoided the lights from the posts placed in intervals around the compound. Quick Breeze gave her a quick nod as she moved away with the guard who's neck had been broken by Quick Breeze deeper into the shadows. Moments later, Sasha emerged in the dead guard's uniform, pulling the cap lower over her face to hide her eyes.

"Ready?" Quick Breeze asked her as she took up one of the silenced forearms and held it diagonally across her chest.

"As ready as I'm going to be," Sasha replied, giving a strained smile. Quick Breeze smiled back before both of them jogged in time towards the entrance of the compound.

Silently, the duo make their way to the entrance, keeping their heads low anytime there were other guards passing them. Though they looked and acted like the guards from a distance, they would surely be found out once they had a close up. Once at the entrance, Sasha let Quick Breeze do the talking, since she had a good feeling that not too many young women would be working for Cobra. That, and she looked too much like Griffin to be seen outside.

"Where are you two heading?" came the sharp bark of a sergeant.

"Sir, we are heading to deliver a message to the Commander, sir," Quick Breeze answered, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

"I can deliver that message," the sergeant replied. "What is it?"

Quick Breeze shook his head almost immediately. "We were told to deliver it personally, sir," he said, giving an apologetic shrug of his shoulders.

The sergeant growled something under his breath, Sasha guessing that it was a curse, before he nodded.

"Fine," he barked. "But be snappy about it."

"Sir, yessir!" Quick Breeze answered with a small salute before he jogged into the compound with Sasha at his heels. She didn't like the way that the sergeant looked at her with his small, beady eyes.

"That was close," Sasha murmured under her breath to Quick Breeze. The village boy nodded in agreement and started to reply before he was cut off by a bloodcurdling scream. Chills ran up Sasha's back and she nearly tripped as it sounded again.

"No," she whispered under her breath, tears prickling in her eyes. She picked up the pace, almost sprinting down the hallway, thankful that it was mostly empty of any other guards. "No no no no no." She continued to repeat the word under her breath.

"Sasha," Quick Breeze called after her, cautiously keeping his voice down and low. "What is it?"

Sasha looked over her shoulder as she ran. "It's Griffin. That's Griffin shouting."

Both of them shared a look before they bolted towards the scream.

()()()()()()

Whisper was helpless to do anything as she heard her daughter screaming as the nanomites were injected into her system. She was too weak to even scream out in protest. She could only cry silently as she was forced to listen to her daughter scream. Snake Eyes was constantly shifting behind her, fighting off the drugs in his system. Thankfully, the guards hadn't been keeping up with the drugs since the Cobra Commander had come, giving her and her husband a few precious moments to, somewhat, recover. Whisper strained her arms against her bindings, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps.

As she struggled, she could heard her father chuckling to himself as he watched Griffin writhe in pain, clawing at her eyes. A third scream erupted from the young girl's lips before she fell silent, trembling on the ground as she dropped her hands from her eyes.

"There, there now," the Cobra Commander soothed, crouching to kneel next to Griffin's motionless form. "That wasn't so bad now, was it? Open your eyes, Granddaughter. See the world that you have yet to see."

Griffin's eyes blinked open on their own accord, her body still shaking from the ordeal of being injected with the nanomites. Her eyes were no longer glassy with the telltale sign of someone who was blind. Instead, her normally sightless, sterling silver eyes were the color of gunmetal without a trace of glassiness. Sight came to her for the first time in almost fourteen years. Colors that she'd only been able to imagine were right in front of her. Griffin looked around in awe before they fell onto her parents. And for the first time, she was able to see them.

Hesitantly, she went over to them, ignoring the burning sensation that was still raging randomly throughout her body.

Whisper raised her head slightly when she heard footsteps before resting it once more against the ground. She saw a shadow fall over her and she looked to see Griffin crouching in front of her, eyes wide with astonishment. Whisper felt tears forming in her eyes, her only seeing eye looking over her daughter's face and her now unfamiliar eyes.

Griffin looked at her mother, taking in her long, dark brown hair and sterling silver eyes, her left eye slashed through with two long scars that left her partially blinded. She took a deep breath and touched Whisper's cheek in awe. "I can see you," she whispered before her gaze when to her father, laying on his side with his back to Whisper's. Griffin stood and went around to look at her father, looking over his black armored suit and the lean muscle it defined. "I can see you, too."

Slowly, Griffin rose to her feet and looked at the Cobra Commander, who had a slit across his face that wasn't even remotely close to a smile in her opinion. "I can see," she said for a third time, still in awe.

"That you can," the Cobra Commander said before he motioned for a guard to approach him. Griffin watched as the guard placed some kind of device into his commanding officer's hand before retreating back to watch the door. Griffin barely even managed to ask what it was before her mind was taken over and she was no longer in control of herself.

()()()()()()

Quick Breeze grabbed Sasha's arm, pulling her to a stop. "Think clearly, Sash," he whispered harshly. "You can't just barge in there and risk being captured, too."

Sasha wrenched her arm out of his grasp. "She's my sister," she hissed. "My twin. I'm not leaving her in the hands of that monster."

"I know, but we need a plan. We can't just barge in there," Quick Breeze repeated, looking both ways to make sure that no one else was around for the time being. He gave a small sigh. "Come on; we stick to the original plan, but we just move through it faster than what we thought we would, alright?"

Reluctantly, Sasha nodded. "Alright," she said and calmed herself slightly before heading down the hallway, stopping when she saw a guard sitting in a room covered in computer screens. She looked silently at Quick Breeze before slipping silently into the room just behind the guard. Thankfully, he was either too drunk or too tired from a long day, and he didn't notice the young girl behind him as she sneaked a peek of the cameras. Her silver and blue eyes scanned the screens before she found the one she was looking for: Room 284. The screen for that room showed two people lying on the ground with their backs facing each other, whom she assumed where her parents as they struggled against bonds that she couldn't see, and a smaller person standing to face someone just offscreen. Sasha's eyes widened slightly when she saw the person offscreen hand the smaller person, whom she took to be Griffin, a dagger that she had never seen before. She continued to watch as Griffin went over to the two people lying on the ground. There was a shout of a familiar voice, though weak and raspy, calling, "Don't listen t-!" before it was cut off with a yelp; Sasha caught the sight of a boot flash across the screen as a guard kicked her mother in the stomach, causing her to wheeze for breath.

Terrified for the lives of her parents and sister, Sasha bolted, all pretenses of silence gone as she bolted out of the security room and deeper into the compound, Quick Breeze at her heels as she ran as fast as she could, praying that she would reach the room before Griffin killed their parents.

()()()()()()

**Hopefully you guys won't kill me for this cliffhanger, but I have to get you to come back _somehow! _Hehe! Anyway, hope that you enjoyed it and reviews are greatly appreciated! :D (Plus, reviews equal a faster update time.)**


	16. Forgive Me

**Thanks to those who read the last chapter, favorited this story or me, and followed this story as well. :) ****Reviews are greatly appreciated! Enjoy! ;)**

()()()()()()

Sasha felt like her heart was about to burst as she ran faster than her legs could keep up. Fortunately, she was able to avoid stumbling over her own feet and cursed Quick Breeze's longer legs as he overtook her; the village boy was used to running quickly.

_Please God, _she thought, praying as hard and as loud as she could. _Please help me get my family out of this mess._

Sasha slid around a corner, almost toppling over before Quick Breeze righted her with a tug to her arm. She barely even acknowledged him, still praying.

"Almost there," Quick Breeze said, turning another corner. His pointed to a door at the end of the hallway, two guards standing just outside.

The guards looked at them with shock, wondering what two people, one which seemed to be a girl, were doing in this wing of the compound. Sasha realized that their stolen uniforms was what had put them off and was thankful for the plan they had to take the uniforms as disguises. She raised her "borrowed" firearm and didn't even pause in her running as she shot off two rounds, killing the guards before they'd even realized what hit them. It only took the duo seconds to burst into the room, guns raised and anger written on their faces.

()()()()()()

Griffin struggled against the force that was controlling her movements, wondering what was going on. She screamed and shouted, hitting and punching anything that came into reach; that's what she wished to do anyway. Instead, her body stayed poised and ready to attack, testing the weight of the dagger within her hand as she approached her parents' bound forms.

She continued to struggle against the force, but it was beginning to hurt. Anytime she dared to approach the barrier within her, it felt like bullets being shot through her skull tenfold. Yet, she still continued to fight. She realized now how stupid she'd been, accepting the Cobra Commander's offer; he didn't care for her and only wished to use her as a tool.

Griffin shoved against the barrier in her mind, tears wishing to form from the pain, yet none arrived. She wished to scream, yet she couldn't.

_Forgive me, _she wished to say. _If I could take it all back, I would. Please forgive me._

The dagger rotated within her hand as she prepared to plunge it into her mother's heart.

_Forgive me._

()()()()()()

**I know this is incredibly short and I do apologize, but exams and such are ruling my life. I wanted to get something up for you guys to read at least and hopefully it'll get you coming back for more. By my estimate, there will only be about three, possibly four chapters left in Caged 2: Ghost Runner. Fingers crossed that I'll be able to update again by next week, even faster if I get some reviews to inspire me. ;) Thanks for those who did review, by the way! It's you guys who keep me going with it!**

**Until next chapter, **

**ML out!**


	17. Rest in Peace

**Thanks to those who read the last chapter, favorited this story or me, and followed this story as well. :) ****Reviews are greatly appreciated! Enjoy! ;)**

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Sasha felt eyes on her and Quick Breeze the instant they stepped into the room, mainly coming from guards and the Cobra Commander. But there was one set of eyes that sent chills up her spine, especially once she locked her own bicolored eyes with the silver ones of her sister.

"Griffin?" Sasha said, her voice shaking slightly when she took in the clearness of her twin's eyes. "What have you done?"

"She's made the right choice."

Sasha's gun swung around to aim at her grandfather's chest, eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "What have you done with my sister?!" she shouted. Her voice may have been wavering, but the rifle never did.

"I gave her what she wanted," the Cobra Commander answered calmly. "She wished to be able to see the world, and I gave that to her."

"You took her away!" Sasha cried out. "You twisted her mind and made her your slave! She wouldn't have wished for that! I should know; I'm her twin."

She could feel her sister's eyes still on her, the dagger still gleaming lethally within her grasp. Sasha tried to swallow past the massive lump in her throat, but was unsuccessful, especially when she found that her mouth was completely bone dry. She was in an impossible situation and had no idea what to do. She could shoot the Cobra Commander and attempt to hold off the guards and her sister while Quick Breeze got out with her parents and she could try to figure out how to subdue Griffin to get help for her. Or she could shoot her sister and save her parents and kill the commander afterwards. She definitely wasn't leaning towards Plan B, and Plan A could go wrong in so many ways, such as Griffin turning the knife on her or killing their parents while she was dealing with the guards.

Sasha felt Quick Breeze shift his weight behind her, his presence a reassuring wall behind her. She looked over at her sister, a pleading look in her eyes. "Please, Grif," she said. "I need my sister back. Come back to me and Mom and Dad. I _want_ my sister back."

Her last sentence was focused more towards the Cobra Commander, and her gaze swung angrily towards her grandfather. "I want my sister back," she repeated.

The Cobra Commander gave a grin, sending shivers of disgust over Sasha's body. "You can join her," he said. "Become fearless and no longer have to worry about being afraid of the dark. You will no longer have to worry about being better than your sister or having to impress your parents over and over again to prove that you are better than her. I can make you better than her, I promise. She won't mind, I'm sure of it."

Sasha was frightened to find herself lowering her gun a hair, tempted by the commander's offer. To be better than her sister? To have her parents' approval? Those thoughts were barely within her mind before she angrily shook them out, raising her rifle once more to point it at the Cobra Commander's heart.

"I'm not afraid," she said, her voice surprisingly strong and powerful. "And I will not become your slave."

She fired the gun, but it was already too late. The commander had disappeared thanks to Ghost Runner, reappearing on the other side of the room just as the bullet struck the wall. He gave an exasperated sigh.

"And here I was hoping to have the both of you," he said before giving another sigh. "Oh well. Griffin child, plans have changed. Kill your sister."

Sasha's eyes went wide as she looked over at her sister who charged her without a seconds hesitation. "No!" she screamed, dodging out of the way of Griffin's strike, nearly losing her life within the first few seconds of the fight. Her bicolored eyes hardened and she instinctively raised her gun to point it at her twin. She faltered once she realized what she was doing. What was she thinking?! She couldn't kill her own sister, her twin. Torn between her life and Griffin's, she looked over at Quick Breeze.

"Get my parents out of here," she said, tossing him her rifle and withdrawing her black dagger from her hip. She could hear gunshots as Quick Breeze killed the guards and fired at the Cobra Commander, slowly making his way toward her drugged parents, but she ignored it all.

The Cobra Commander, however, had a different plan. He disappeared in a flash of light, reappearing behind Griffin and grabbing her, before disappearing and coming up behind Sasha, grabbing her as well. Sasha felt her stomach lurch and she fought the urge to throw up as Ghost Runner teleported them to a different room, away from all of the gunshots. And their parents.

"Wouldn't want Mommy and Daddy coming to the rescue now and spoiling all the fun," the commander said.

Sasha's lip curled in disgust. She couldn't believe that she was related to such a bastard! She started to say something before her sister moved towards her, ready to kill. Sasha debated on whether she should try to run before she steeled herself. Instead of running, she tightened her grip on her dagger and lunged towards her sister.

()()()()()()

Griffin dodged Sasha's first, wild strike with a calm ease, not a shred of emotion showing on her face. On the inside, she was screaming and pounding and kicking, ignoring the pain that it caused her. She was _not _going to kill her twin! She just wasn't. She was struggling against her own body, pain searing every nerve. All the while, her body continued to fight with Sasha, giving and receiving nicks, but nothing serious. Griffin knew exactly how to stop all of this; she just needed to be in control of her body long enough to do so.

As she fought, her instincts suddenly found an opening in Sasha's defense and she took it, lunging forward. Fortunately, Griffin was able to throw her body off balance just enough so that her dagger missed the killing stroke. Unfortunately, the tip of her dagger, once aimed at Sasha's throat, now sliced upwards through her silver eye. Sasha screamed in pain as her eye was cut, reeling away. Blood streamed down her face, the cut going from her jawbone through her eye and ending close to her temple, making a crescent shape. Griffin didn't even have to look to know that she'd just blinded her sister in her eye; she'd made her sister live her fear of darkness for the rest of her life; partially at least.

Sasha's remaining blue eye was filled with fear and pain. She didn't want to kill Griffin anymore than Griffin wanted to kill Sasha. The disgust and hatred for what she'd done to her sister allowed Griffin the power to break through the nanomites control, a scream of pain wrenched from her lips.

"Sasha!" Griffin cried out. "I'm sorry! I'm so so so so sorry!" Tears coursed down her cheeks as she looked over at the Cobra Commander, who was looking at her in shock; he hadn't expected her to be strong enough to break the hold of the nanomites. Slowly, his lips started to curl. He knew that she couldn't keep the controlling nanomites away for long. What he didn't know, was what Griffin planned on doing next while she still had control of her own body.

Slowly, Griffin turned her dagger inwards, the point resting against her own chest.

()()()()()()

Sasha saw what her twin was about to do and cried out in anguish, ignoring the pain that burned in her face. "No, Grif!" she cried. "Don't! Please!"

Griffin looked at her sister with sad, silver eyes. "I'm sorry, Sash," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I should have known that my life was perfect without having to see. Take care of Queen for me, will ya? And don't miss me too much; I'll wait for you."

"No!" Sasha sobbed. "Don't, Grif. Please don't."

"You know it's the only way to end this, Sash," Griffin replied, raising the dagger slightly.

"No!"

There was a flash of light as the Cobra Commander appeared behind Griffin, gripping her hand to keep the dagger away from the soft skin that protected her heart. "Not yet, granddaughter," he said with a sickly grin, turning his gaze onto Sasha. "I didn't waste resources just for you to kill yourself. No, I wish to see you kill your sister first."

"You bastard!" Sasha screamed before seeing the sly glint that touched Griffin's eyes. Realization came upon her as the pieces fell together and she knew what her sister had in mind.

Griffin twisted around in the commander's grasp, wrenching her wrist out of his hand as she plunged the dagger into his shriveled heart. The commander gave a gurgling gasp, shoving Griffin away and pulling the dagger out of his chest. His features twisted into a vicious snarl as blood touched his lips.

"You little wench!" he howled, his voice becoming gurgled as the strength left his legs and he fell, the dagger still in his hand. He locked eyes with Sasha and the grin returned. "Say good-bye to your sister." And then, he threw the dagger towards Sasha, frozen with fear.

Sasha felt something crash into her, throwing her to the floor, and a cry of pain erupted. She scrambled up to her feet, expecting to see Quick Breeze, but what she did see made her give an incoherent cry as she rushed to her sister's side, the dagger that had been meant for her imbedded in her twin's chest.

"No," Sasha said, shaking her head. "No no no no no!"

Griffin was gasping for breath, unable to breath easily. "It's alright, Sash," she said, forcing a smile onto her lips. "Knew this . . . would happen." The light in her eyes was becoming dimmer. "Couldn't live . . . with what I'd done. Take care of . . . Mom and Dad. I'm sorry."

Sasha took her sister's hand, tears streaming freely from her face. "Don't leave me, Flying Fox," she said, using her sister's codename to try and give her strength. Griffin shook her head.

"Too late, Wolf Eyes," she said, the smile not forced this time. "It's alright. I'm not afraid." And then, she closed her eyes and she took her last breath.

()()()()()()

It took ten minutes for Quick Breeze to find the twins, Whisper and Snake Eyes close behind. They found Sasha on the ground, crying, as she held her sister's head in her lap.


	18. Caged

**Thanks to those who read the last chapter, favorited this story or me, and followed this story as well. :) ****Reviews are greatly appreciated! Enjoy! ;)**

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After Quick Breeze had found Sasha with Griffin's body, she couldn't remember much of anything. She did remember Whisper's scream, one of heartbreak and pain. Her mother had collapsed next to her only living daughter, tears running from her eyes. Snake Eyes had been quick to join him, and Sasha deliriously remembered how her father's shoulders had shaken as though he were crying as well.

It wasn't until hours later that Sasha found herself in one of the rooms in the infirmary in the Joes's headquarters, not remembering how she'd gotten there. For days, she refused to speak to anyone, not General Hawk, not anyone on the Alpha Team, and not even Quick Breeze, despite his many attempts to do so. The young girl heard the nurses whispering in the hallways how they believed that the surviving twin would never be the same again.

Whisper and Snake Eyes were being held in the room next to Sasha's, undergoing detox to rid their bodies of the massive amount of drugs that had been pumped into them. From what Sasha was able to hear from the nurses, her parents were going to be fine; physically at least.

Sasha sat on her hospital bed for a few days, not being allowed to leave until the bandage was removed from her eye. Like her mother before her, she'd lost her vision completely in her left eye, taken out by a dagger. It had scared her the first couple of nights, not being able to see out of the eye she'd been able to look out of all of her life. Now, she barely even acknowledged it, too deeply sunk into her grief to notice. Queen and Shadow stayed by Sasha day and night, grieving for their lost family member.

()()()()()()

Four months after Griffin had died, she was finally given the funeral that she deserved. She was treated like a fallen soldier, shots fired and a flag given in her honor. Everyone saluted as her coffin was lowered into the ground. Sasha sprinkled dirt onto the polished wooden lid, tears slipping silently down her face. Whisper touched her daughter's shoulder, also sprinkling dirt, before they were joined by Snake Eyes, who rested his hand on Sasha's other shoulder. Sasha leaned against her father for support, glad that they were finally, somewhat, back to normal. She could still hear her mother wake up in the middle of the night, screaming. Not that she could blame her; she did the exact same thing almost every night, reliving how her sister had shoved her out of the way to take the dagger that had been meant for her.

After the funeral, everyone gathered for the reception, eating little cut sandwiches and drinking soda and beer. Sasha mutely accepted the condolences of everyone that came up to her, eyes focused on the black dress that she was wearing. Shadow sat next to her, ears flicked back and his eyes on the crowd as he felt his mistress's mourning. Sasha absently scratched the black and grey wolf behind the ears. Unable to stand it any longer, Wolf Eyes stood up and exited the church, ordering Shadow to stay. She went outside and threw off the small heels she was wearing before she took off running down the cemetery path. Fresh tears sprang to her eyes and she angrily brushed them away until she reached a massive oak tree. Once under its shade, she collapsed, great sobs making her entire body shake. She didn't know how long she stayed under the great oak's shade, but by the time her tears had run dry, the sun was beginning to sink lower into the skies, stretching the shadows towards her as though they were going to grab her and pull her away into the darkness. But, the oak's greater shadow almost seemed to ward them off, offering Sasha its great strength.

Sasha touched the oak's rough bark, feeling it rub against her palms.

"The trees talk you know."

Sasha whipped around, keeping her blind eye towards the tree. She gave a small sigh of relief when she realized that it was Quick Breeze. "What?" she asked, rubbing the tear stains from her face.

"The trees," the village boy replied as he walked over to Sasha, sitting down on the lush grass next to her. "They talk."

"And how would you know?" Sasha asked bitterly.

Quick Breeze just smiled softly. "You just have to listen," he said. "Take this oak for example. It may not show it, but it's seen more mourning and suffering than all of us combined. And yet, it still stands tall and grows high into the skies. The oak is telling you that even though Griffin died, you can still stand tall and grow. It may be caged here, in this graveyard, but it still grows and spreads out its roots deep underground. Do you get what the oak is trying to tell you?"

Slowly, Sasha nodded. "I think so," she said, giving a small sniff as she looked up at the powerful oak. "And . . . I know that its right. I won't let Griffin have died for me, only for me to live a life of grief and mourning. She'd have wanted me to live my life, in the here and now. Not in the past."

Quick Breeze smiled softly once more. "Now that's the Sasha I know," he said gently.

Sasha smiled back in turn, the first she'd managed in months. "Thanks Breeze," she said. A leaf broke free of one of the oak's branches, brushing against Sasha's cheek as it fell gently to the ground. She picked it up, looking at the dark green leaf. She smiled again, a bit bigger this time as she held the leaf in her lap.

"Anytime," Quick Breeze replied, and he took Sasha's hand into his as they watched the sunset. And, just as the last of the sun started to sink below the horizon, both the young man and the young woman looked towards the other. They slowly started to lean in towards each other . . .

And the rest was history.

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**And that is the next to last chapter of Caged 2: Ghost Runner. Thanks to those who have been there the entire time, reviewing and giving me encouragement when I really needed it! Thanks guys! And I'm sorry about the wait; things have been hectic. Thankfully, if I get at least three reviews (which really isn't that many), I will have the last chapter up by Sunday, July 21st. **

**Also, I wish to make a prequel to the Caged series of Lily before she became Whisper and when she was Viper. If you wish for me to make it, please review. If not, you may also review to tell me not to. ;) Until next time, which will hopefully be Sunday, ML out.**


	19. Through the Eyes of a Warrior

**Thanks to those who read the last chapter, favorited this story or me, and followed this story as well. :) ****Reviews would be greatly appreciated for this last chapter of the Caged series, minus the prequel of course. Thank you to HextheDaydreamer and Guest for reviewing, it truly means a lot to me. I hope that you guys enjoy the last chapter of Caged 2: Ghost Runner. **

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_~Twelve years later~_

A woman in her mid-twenties looked up from her desk to face the door when it opened almost silently, pencil freezing where it was in her hand. Following their teacher's movements, seventeen other children ranging from the ages of eleven to fifteen looked towards the door as well. The woman smiled when she looked at the young man standing at the doorway, grinning at her the same way she was grinning at him.

The man strolled into the classroom, ignoring the whispers that erupted from the students when they realized that the tribe leader was in their classroom! The teacher looked at her students in warning, and they fell silent, going back to work on the test that rested on their desks, before she returned her attention onto her husband.

"Hey," she said, her voice quiet so she wouldn't disturb the students. "What are you doing here?" She didn't rise from her desk, her feet and back aching.

The young man just smiled again, kissing his wife on the cheek and bumping into her glasses when he did so. The woman chuckled and kissed him in return before leaning back so that he could touch her swollen stomach. "Just checking up on you, Wolf Eyes," he replied.

"I'm fine, Breeze," Wolf Eyes said. "Just tired." She rose from her chair, leaning on her desk to help keep her balance since the weight of her large stomach kind of threw her off.

"You know the doctor said you needed to rest," Quick Breeze urged. "You should be at home, not here."

Wolf Eyes only smiled. "I can't leave my students," she told him seriously. "I'm as much a mother to them as I am to Lily."

"And don't forget this little one," Quick Breeze teased, touching her stomach again. "He'll be coming any day now. Do you have a name yet?"

Wolf Eyes seemed to glow, feeling happier than she had in a long time. "His name is Griffin," she answered. "Griffin's Shadow."

Quick Breeze grinned happily, kissing her forehead. "I love it," he told her before looking over at her students. "I'll let you get back to work then. Just remember to take it easy."

"I promise," Wolf Eyes answered, sitting back down in her seat.

The tribe leader couldn't help but to kiss his wife once more before he left the room in silence. Wolf Eyes started to go back to grading papers, her mind on her two-year-old daughter, Water Lily. She couldn't help but to smile as she thought of her daughter's silver eyes and jet black hair that she'd gotten from her father and her antics that reminded her so much of Griffin. As she thought of her twin, who had died all those years ago, she felt her unborn son kick from within her womb. She smiled again and touched her stomach.

Wolf Eyes looked up suddenly, feeling eyes on her. She met eyes with one of the youngest in her classroom, an eleven-year-old girl with black hair and black eyes. "Yes Raven?" she asked. "What is it?"

Raven's dark skin hid most of her blush, but not all of it. "Umm . . ." she started shyly. "I-I just wanted to know if what everyone said was true."

Wolf Eyes frowned slightly. "If what was true, sweetie?" she asked.

Raven lowered her head and her long hair curtained her face, hiding it from view. "I-If the s-s-stories are true," she stammered. "I mean, you teach us all about the G.I Joes and their history, but were you really a Joe when you were little?"

Wolf Eyes's frowned eased into a smile as she set down her pencil. She could see the other children secretly looking at her as well; they wanted to know if her past was true as well. Slowly, Wolf Eyes removed her glasses and tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing the crescent shaped scar that cut through her silver eye, her blue eye watching her students tenderly as she leaned forward to rest her elbows on her desk with her hands clasped; it was no small feat for one of her size. A few of her students gasped at the sight of the scar, though all of them knew what it was from and how she'd gotten it; it was nothing new for them.

"Let me tell you about it," Sasha said. "Let me tell you about the greatest warrior I knew when I was young. She was my sister, my twin. Her name was Griffin, known as Flying Fox in the tribe. She gave her life to save mine."

And then Sasha, aka Wolf Eyes, told the story about two young twins and their adventures as G.I Joes.

_**The End**_

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**Hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter of Caged 2: Ghost Runner! The prequel won't be out for a while as I have another story that I need to finish beforehand. If you're interested, it's an X-Men fanfic called "Spirit's Life". I'll see you guys around. ;)**

**ML out.**


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